Kathmandu, Apr. 20: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Saturday said that Nepal expected cooperation in
investment, technology and tourism from France.
“Nepal expects French cooperation in Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI), technology transfer and development and tourism. We also want
to enhance the current collaborations happening in development as well as
cultural and educational spheres,” said Gyawali while addressing a programme
organised on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the
establishment of bilateral relations between Nepal and France.
France was the fourth country to establish bilateral
diplomatic relations with Nepal. They established the relations in 1949.
France is the fourth import and eighth export partner
of Nepal.
According to him, at a time when Nepal has prioritised the socio-economic
development of the country on the backdrop of political achievements, it looks
up to France for a stronger bilateral collaboration and cooperation. “In
particular, our priority is to enhance economic partnership in the areas of
foreign direct investment, trade expansion, tourism linkages and technology
transfer,” he said.
The Foreign Minister appreciated the French support in
socio-economic development in Nepal and said that Nepal needs French
investment, epecially in large infrastructure projects here.
“Both the countries have continued to be nurtured by
goodwill, trust and mutual respect on both sides. Over the decades France has
extended support and cooperation towards Nepal’s socio-economic development
efforts,” said Gyawali.
He also said that the formation of Inter-Parliamentary
Friendship Groups in the parliaments of Nepal and France would be instrumental
in expanding and deepening friendly ties between the two countries.
According to him, the two friendly states have a crucial
role to play in global issues such as peace and security, climate change, peace
keeping and multilateralism.
He said that the 70th anniversary might be
the right occasion for high-level political contacts.
“High-level
political contacts are extremely important in strengthening any diplomatic
relationship. It has been quite long time since we had an exchange of
high-level visits at the political level. The 70th anniversary may
be the right occasion for this,” he said.
Likewise, substantive
economic component is very much critical for enhancing a bilateral partnership,
and further economic engagements in the mutually beneficial areas will be in
the interests of both countries, he said.
He also said that cultural contacts and
people-to-people relations constitute another aspect of bilateral relations.
“This is nurtured by mutual love and goodwill prevalent at the grassroots level
of our societies. Our partnership can prosper only when the public, including
the diaspora communities, get engaged,” he said.
French Ambassador to Nepal Francois-Xavier Leger stressed
on economic partnership between the two countries.
He said that France was exploring avenues on how
French aid could be mobilised in Nepal.
According to him, France-Nepal cooperation in
mountaineering began as early as 1980s.
“Nepal is an attractive destination for French
tourists. Every year more than 32,000 French people come here. There is also a
long lasting cooperation in mountaineering," said Leger.
He pointed towards the need for increasing people to
people contact and said that there would be some high level political exchanges
and business cooperation this year.
The programme was jointly organised by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and French Embassy in Kathmandu.
A musical programme followed the event in the evening
where Cellist Franck Bernede presented solo performances, and in the later part
Bidur Rajkarnikar and Santosh Bhakta Shrestha joined him in esraj and table
respectively.
Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada, who is also the
goodwill ambassador for the 70th year commoration of the
Nepal-France relationship, said that both the countries had similarity in
environmental sustainability.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 April 2019. 
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