EU positive to remove Nepal from Air Safety List

Kathmandu, Feb. 18:

The European Union is positive to remove Nepal from its Aviation Safety List, said the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat upon his arrival from his seven-day visit to Belgium and Luxemburg.

“As Nepal’s aviation safety is about to reach to the Asia-Pacific standard, we have requested to the EU to lift the ban imposed by the EU on Nepalese airlines. President of the EU Jean Claude Junker has assured me of looking into the matter positively based upon the facts to be provided by Nepal,” he said at a press conference organised at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

The EU has banned Nepalese airlines from flying through its airspace for failing to meet regulatory oversight standards of the EU. This has negatively impacted the tourism industry of the country.

Minister Mahat said that the EU would start process of delisting Nepal from the List after receiving the documents regarding the air safety measures and current situation.

He stated that Junker expressed his commitment to support Nepal in infrastructure development, post-quake reconstruction and export promotion of Nepalese goods in the EU countries.

The Minister apprised the EU President of the recent political developments in Nepal including amendment of the constitution and preparation for holding of elections in the stipulated time frame.

“Belgium and Luxemburg have said that they would include Nepal in their Official Development Assistance (ODA) list. We will very soon send a request letter for the same,” he said.

According to him, reaffirming Luxembourg’s commitment to extend support in Nepal’s development efforts, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg Romain Schneider said that Nepal would be given positive consideration during the next review of he list of countries receiving the Luxembourgish ODA. 

Dr. Mahat held a meeting with vice-president of the EU Commission for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and discussed on the issues pertaining to Nepal-EU relations.

“Mogherini has expressed the EU’s commitment to extend support in Nepal’s development efforts including the reconstruction process as well as the implementation of the new constitution and electoral support as per Nepal’s need,” he said.

 Dr. Mahat met with Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, his Luxembourgish counterpart Jean Asselborn and attended a programme organised by the  Non-Resident Nepalese and Public Relations Committee in Luxemburg, and interacted with the Nepalese Diaspora.

He also addressed an interaction on ‘Inclusive democracy and economic transformation in Nepal: Prospects and challenges’ organised by the Nepalese Embassy in Brussels and European Institute for Asian Studies.