PM Oli highlights leader Tulsilal’s principled politics

 Kathmandu, Aug. 2

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli emphasised the need to move forward with strong determination to fulfil the aspirations of the pioneers and martyrs of the left-democratic movement.

Speaking at the 28^th Tulsilal Memorial Day organised in Lalitpur on Saturday by the Tulsilal Memorial Foundation, he underlined that the present generation must advance with commitment to realise the patriotic movement and the dream of national prosperity.

Prime Minister Oli, who is also the Chairman of the CPN (UML), stated that it is necessary to follow the ideals set by Tulsilal, who stood for principled and selfless politics. He recalled that the constitution of Nepal was framed by the Constituent Assembly on the foundation of the long-standing vision of the leaders who fought to establish a republic.

During the event, the winners of the valley-wide inter-school quiz competition, organised by the foundation, were awarded.

A book by Professor Shyam Sundar Sherpa on the teachings of the Buddha was also launched.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 August 2025.

Less than 3 per cent of aspiring migrant workers receive skill training: Report

Kathmandu, Aug. 1

Skill training for aspiring migrant workers has not been a priority for the government and other stakeholders.

According to statistics published by the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and the Foreign Employment Board (FEB), only a small portion of youth willing to go for foreign employment have been provided with skill development training.

The FEB informed on Thursday that from the Foreign Employment Welfare Fund, 14,458 youth planning to fly overseas as migrant workers were trained on skill development and entrepreneurship in the last Fiscal Year 2024/25. This number is 96.38 per cent of the annual target of the Board.

But in terms of the total labour permits issued by the DoFE, this training has reached only about 2.9 per cent of the aspiring migrant workers.

A total of 493,312 youth obtained new 'labour permit' – 133,634 individual and 359,678 agency – to work abroad in the last fiscal year. Likewise, 333,305 obtained a re-entry permit from the DoFE. Including 12,653 individuals obtaining the permit to work in South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom under the Government-to-Government programme, 839,270 individuals obtained the labour permit.

Against this massive number, skill training reached only a small fraction.

Numbers are not encouraging in terms of upskilling the returnee migrant workers as well. Only 4,561 such returnees have been trained.

The FEB had targeted to train and upskill only 15,000 and 5,000 with willing to go for foreign employment and returnees, respectively.

At the press conference, the Board informed that it had set the target according to the available resources. For the current year, it has received the allocation of only Rs. 315 million for study and skill development training.

According to the DoFE statistics, 61 per cent of the Nepali workers going for jobs abroad in FY 2024/25 were classified as skilled, while 72 per cent (of 741,297 workers) who went abroad in 2023/24 were skilled.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 August 2025.

Nepali, Chinese leaders hail Nepal-China diplomatic ties

 70^th anniversary of establishment of Nepal-China diplomatic relations

Kathmandu, Aug. 1

Congratulatory messages have been exchanged between Nepal and China at the high level on the occasion of the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Nepal said in a statement on Friday that high-level dignitaries from both countries exchanged congratulatory messages, marking seven decades of mutual respect, partnership and peaceful cooperation.

President of Nepal, Ramchandra Paudel, conveyed his congratulations to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and extended best wishes to the government and people of China.

In his message, President Paudel reflected on the ‘time-tested friendship’ between the two nations, underpinned by mutual trust, sovereign equality and peaceful coexistence. He also expressed Nepal’s readiness to work with China to realise a shared vision of peace, progress and prosperity, while calling for deeper cooperation, enhanced connectivity and broader collaboration in various areas of mutual interest.

Likewise, Chinese President Xi, in turn, sent his congratulations and best wishes to President Paudel, the Nepali government and its people.

Emphasising the deep-rooted bonds between the two neighbours, President Xi noted that China and Nepal, connected by mountains and rivers, have long exemplified friendly exchanges, read the statement issued by the MoFA.

President Xi praised the two countries for setting a model of peaceful coexistence despite their different social systems and national sizes. He highlighted the growing political trust between the two nations, fruitful collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, and the strengthening of the China-Nepal Strategic Partnership of Cooperation featuring everlasting friendship for development and prosperity.

He called for renewed efforts to foster bilateral cooperation, strengthen exchanges and deliver tangible benefits to both peoples.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also extended his greetings to President Xi where he lauded the trouble-free relations Nepal and China have enjoyed for seven decades. Affirming Nepal’s commitment to the One China Policy, he expressed appreciation for China’s enduring respect for Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.

Prime Minister Oli described China as a close neighbour and a trusted development partner, underscoring Nepal’s deep regard for the historic state visit of President Xi in 2019, and his multiple visits to China, said the MoFA.

He stressed the importance of high-level exchanges in building political trust and advancing cooperation in cross-border connectivity, infrastructure, trade and transit, disaster management, agriculture, health and green energy.

Prime Minister Oli reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to implementing past agreements to deliver real benefits to citizens.

In a separate message to Chinese Premier Li Qiang, PM Oli acknowledged China’s strides towards national rejuvenation and modernisation, and expressed a desire to further strengthen mutually rewarding cooperation.

Premier Li Qiang reciprocated with a message commending the consistent and steady growth in bilateral ties and cooperation over the years. He affirmed China’s commitment to work closely with Nepal to accelerate high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and expand bilateral collaboration across all fields.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, also extended her greetings to her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. She highlighted the multifaceted ties between the two nations and expressed appreciation for China’s support in Nepal’s development. She also expressed Nepal’s interest in working with China on shared challenges, including building resilience to transboundary climate risks.

Likewise, Wang Yi, in his message to FM Dr. Rana, affirmed the enduring friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries and reiterated China's commitment to strengthening the China-Nepal Strategic Partnership of Cooperation.

Nepal and China formally established diplomatic relations on 1 August 1955.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 August 2025.

Manish new president of CNIYEF

Kathmandu, Aug. 1

Manish Shrestha has been elected as the President of the Young Entrepreneurs Forum of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNIYEF).

The Forum informed in a statement that its annual general meeting, held in Pokhara on Friday, elected a new executive committee under Shrestha’s leadership for the year 2025/2026.

Shrestha, the founder of Kazi Studio, has been involved with the forum for the past four years.

Outgoing president Ashish Agrawal administered the oath of office to the newly elected president and officially handed over responsibilities.

Members of Shrestha’s executive committee include Sugam Ghimire, Punit Agrawal, Nida Doon Mall, Yash Agrawal, Ankur Agrawal, Chirag Sarawagi, Saini Khetan, and Sujit Regmi.

During the annual general meeting, Sudaya Kant Jha was awarded for being the most active member. CNIYEF Lumbini received an award for enrolling the highest number of new members. Manish Shrestha, Sujit Regmi, and Arun Agrawal were presented with tokens of love for representing the forum at SAARC Tank Nepal.

Established in 2008, the Young Entrepreneurs Forum is the youth wing of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries. The forum prioritises encouraging and promoting young entrepreneurs.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 August 2025.

Prime Minister leaving for Turkmenistan tomorrow

Kathmandu, Aug. 1

Leading a Nepali delegation to the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for Turkmenistan on Sunday, August 3.

The Conference is being held in Awaza, Turkmenistan from 5 to 8 August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement on Friday.

PM Oli was invited to the Conference by Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan, and Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.

He is scheduled to address the Conference as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and in a national capacity. He will also co-chair a high-level roundtable of the Conference and address other events.

“Besides, the Prime Minister will meet heads of delegations from various countries and other high-level dignitaries of the UN and other international organisations on the margins of the Conference,” read the statement.

PM Oli will be accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya, Chief Adviser Bishnu Rimal, Member of the Federal Parliament Surya Bahadur Thapa Kshetree and other high-ranking government officials during the visit.

The Prime Minister will return to Nepal on August 8.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 August 2025.

PM Oli urges young entrepreneurs to stay determined, optimistic

Kathmandu, July 31

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has called on young entrepreneurs to remain determined and optimistic about the future, and said that their efforts will play a crucial role in achieving the national aspiration of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali'.

Speaking at the ‘Startup Entrepreneurs with the Prime Minister’ programme organised today by the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Baluwatar, he stressed the importance of forward-looking optimism.

“If we abandon the development and course for future, nothing will remain. Therefore, we must move ahead with confidence, with an aim of making Nepal a bright and developed nation,” he said.

According to him, Nepal will achieve the status of a developing nation by 2026, and will then move on to becoming a developed country.

"No one else will come and build our country for us, we must do it ourselves. Through the development and practice of technology, we can achieve modernisation and increase productivity,” said PM Oli. “If we all commit to this, we can do it. Nepal can be built.”

During the programme, the Prime Minister also visited various stalls showcasing a wide range of products by Nepali entrepreneurs.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 August 2025.

GBIA, PIA national pride infrastructures

Kathmandu, July 31

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has said that Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) and Pokhara Regional International Airport (PIA) should now be recognised as national pride infrastructures.

Speaking during a discussion, organised by the Federalism Enablement and National Concerns Committee of the National Assembly of the Federal Parliament, on national pride projects under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MOCTCA), he said that although the Ministry oversees five major projects, the construction of the two newly built international airports has been completed.

“The country must now acknowledge these projects as symbols of national pride and begin to reap benefits from them,” he added.

Minister Pandey also expressed the government's commitment to advancing work on the master plans of Pashupatinath and Lumbini. He mentioned that although the Nijgadh International Airport project has already been designated a national pride project, its construction remains uncertain.

However, he reaffirmed the necessity of the airport for the country and said the government would move forward with a clear construction and operational modality.

Commenting on the underperformance of GBIA and PIA, Minister Pandey said the problems lay not only in air routes but also in the failure of various government bodies to implement the operational plans already prepared by the government.

After a long hiatus, Minister Pandey also noted that all aircraft belonging to Nepal Airlines are currently in operation, and discussions are underway to add more aircraft to the national carrier’s fleet.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 August 2025.