Qatar to help Nepali migrant workers to build homes

 Kathmandu, Aug. 2

Qatar has expressed interest in supporting Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf nation to build their house.

Ambassador of Qatar to Nepal Yousuf Bin Mohammad Al-Hail said in a meeting with journalists the other day that his country is ready to support returnee Nepali migrant workers  to build their own house.

For this, he proposed to create a labour bank in Qatar and deposit a certain amount – 10 to 20 per cent – from the monthly income of the workers. "In some years, they will save enough money to build a house for their family. Since the size of a family is not that large in Nepal, a couple of million  rupees will be enough to build a house," said Al-Hail.

According to him, it will also create an opportunity for Nepal to create integrated settlements across the country with infrastructure and facilities required.

The Qatari Envoy said that the project couldn't be implemented by Qatar alone, and there should be a bilateral agreement to make it happen. "The Nepal Rastra Bank, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Labour Employment and Social Security should come together in this regard," he said.

Meanwhile, he expressed gratitude to Nepal and Nepali workers in Qatar for their support in the development of infrastructure for the World Cup 2022 and other construction. "We proudly admit it," said Al-Hail.

He also said that Qatar wanted to import food, water and vegetables as well as herbs and spices from Nepal. However, according to him, Nepal lacks international standard processing factories and packaging. Likewise, food and vegetables in Nepal are more expensive than in its neighbours like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

"Nepal should invest in the development of food value chain so that it could ensure quality in the finished goods," he said.

According to the Embassy of Qatar in Kathmandu, it has invited Nepali farmers to a 6-month long agricultural expo be organised in Doha from March to October 2023.

This international expo will feature a variety of agricultural products, technology, processing and other elements and is expected to provide an opportunity to learn about the technology, forge collaborations and find a market.

Al-Hail said that many countries from around the world are participating in the expo.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador informed that flights to and from Doha-Kathmandu will be dropped to just one a day from the current four a day in order to carry world-cup enthusiasts from the areas like Europe, Americas and East Asia.

However, the number of flights a day is expected to jump to six a day immediately after the World Cup, he said.

During the World Cup period, visitors need to go for visa process while going to Qatar, their ticket for the sport show will work as a visa. People having the required vaccination against COVID-19 need not to stay in quarantine while non-vaccinated people have to undergo a five-day quarantine in Qatar. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 3 August 2022.