EU willing to work with Nepal for air safety

Kathmandu, June 24

The European Union (EU) said on Tuesday that it wants to continue working with Nepal to help the latter in achieving air safety.

“The EU and its Member States are keen to continue working side by side with the Government of Nepal to help achieve the level of safety that Nepali citizens and travellers deserve,” Chargé d’affaires at the Delegation of the EU to Nepal Thomas Millar said while speaking at the third module of the Regional Aviation Safety Programme (RASP) being held in Kathmandu from Tuesday.

“Both the EU and its Member States are already providing technical assistance and have worked closely with all stakeholders to support progress,” he said.

The three-day event, which kicked off on Tuesday, is jointly organised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and ATR.

The module will focus on ‘Crew Training and Operational Standards’, addressing the human and procedural dimensions of flight operations, including decision-making, operational resilience and fatigue management, the Delegation of the EU informed in a statement.

Noting that air safety is a priority for Nepal, Millar said, “We have taken note of the recent remarks by the Finance Minister in his budget speech, aiming to address the concerns of the European Commission (EC). We also appreciate the recent submission of the full package concerning the implementation of the Corrective Action Plan.”

According to him, officials in the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), the EC department responsible for developing sustainable, safe and efficient transport and mobility policies in the EU, will review the Corrective Action Plan in the coming months.

Nepal has been on the EU’s air safety concern list since 2013, which bars Nepali airlines from flying to, from and within the EU. This has seriously impacted Nepal’s tourism and international trade since then.

Following the launch of a series of aviation cooperation activities earlier this year, the EU has continued its partnership with Nepal and South Asia through two new regional initiatives taking place in Kathmandu under the EU–South Asia Aviation Partnership Project (EU–South Asia APP).

Over two weeks, aviation authorities, airlines, industry representatives and technical experts from across South Asia are gathering in Nepal to exchange experience, strengthen professional networks and discuss practical approaches to enhancing aviation safety.

The EU Delegation said that by bringing together regulators, operators and industry representatives, the programme aims to foster practical and sustainable approaches to aviation safety.

The second activity, which takes place from 29 June to 2 July, will also host a Regulatory Updates in Continuing Airworthiness Workshop under the South Asia Regional Initiative (SARI). The workshop will examine recent developments in EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations and modern oversight concepts, supporting authorities and industry in implementing the evolving international requirements.

Together, these activities demonstrate the evolution of the EU–South Asia Aviation Partnership Project from individual technical exchanges towards a more structured and sustained programme of regional cooperation.

“They also reinforce Nepal's growing role as a platform for aviation dialogue in South Asia and illustrate the European Union's commitment to supporting aviation stakeholders through practical, demand-driven and long-term partnerships,” read the statement.

Nepal-Spain business forum organised in Madrid

Kathmandu, June 23

Aiming to bridge the gap between investors and businesspersons from Spain and the government and the private sector of Nepal, the Embassy of Nepal in Madrid organised the ´Nepal-Spain Business Forum 2026´ on Monday.

Speaking at the event, Chargé d´affaires a.i. Purak Adhikari introduced Nepal´s industries as generational enterprises operating on ethically sourced materials using indigenous technology.

Navin Raj Sharma, acting Executive Director of the Trade and Export Promotion Centre, presented the statistics of Nepal-Spain textile trade while highlighting the opportunities of various Nepali textile articles in the Spanish market. He also presented a range of Nepali textile and garment articles deemed most promising for Spanish consumers.

Likewise, Govinda Ghimire, president of the Federation of Export Entrepreneurs Nepal (FEEN), and Deva Nanda Sarawagi, vice president of FEEN, emphasised the competitive advantages of Nepali textile and jewellery products, particularly those made from premium natural fibres such as Chyangra wool, Himalayan sheep wool, hemp, and nettle.

They also highlighted the growing demand for Nepali handmade silver jewellery, prayer beads, and traditional ornaments that have strong appeal in niche international markets.

Similarly, Pashupati Dev Pandey, President of the Garment Association of Nepal, outlined the recent growth of Nepal’s garment sector, noting the positive impact of legal and policy reforms.

Addressing the forum, Luis Rodriguez, Deputy Director of International Relations at the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, informed that Spanish consumers are increasingly receptive to unique international products and expressed confidence that stronger business-to-business partnerships would further enhance Nepal-Spain commercial relations.

NICCI, GITA sign MoU to promote trade partnership

Kathmandu, June 23

The Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Global Investment and Trade Advisors LLP (GITA), India, to promote trade, investment, institutional partnerships, and economic cooperation between Nepal and India.

“It is a shared commitment to strengthening cross-border business linkages, facilitating knowledge exchange, and creating new opportunities for investors and enterprises in both countries,” NICCI said in a statement.

Under the agreement, NICCI and GITA will work together on a range of initiatives, including business delegations, investment outreach programmes, sectoral engagements, policy dialogues, roadshows, and stakeholder consultations.

According to NICCI, the collaboration is designed to foster structured engagement between businesses, investors, chambers of commerce, government agencies, and development institutions, while encouraging greater participation in emerging economic opportunities across key sectors.

The MoU was signed by Marshal Rathour, Director at NICCI, and Priya Rawat, Managing Partner of GITA. Speaking on the occasion, representatives from both organisations emphasised the importance of stronger institutional cooperation in advancing Nepal-India economic relations. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 June 2026.   

Govt. set to formulate law for trade secrets

Kathmandu, June 21

The government is set to formulate laws to govern trade secrets and geographical indications so that the intellectual property regime in the country can be strengthened.

Publishing the details of the activities for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026/27, which will begin on July 17, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) informed that it will be implemented under the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS).

The Department of Industry will conduct interaction programmes on industrial property across seven provinces. It is expected to understand the status of awareness about industrial property and demands from the private sector for the same.  

Currently, copyrights in Nepal are governed by the Copyright Act 2002, which covers literary creations in literature, music, art, computer programmes and dramatic works. Likewise, trademarks, patents and industrial designs are governed by the Patent, Design and Trademark Act, 1965. It covers words, symbols, or logos of businesses.

The private sector has been demanding an update to the Trademark Act, incorporating the latest needs of businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Ministry is also set to conduct informative training for producers, traders and exporters on the existing certification for goods, geographical indications, sustainability, product standards and the implementation methods for voluntary standards.

Likewise, procedures will be formulated, and institutional capacity will be developed for safeguards, anti-dumping and countervailing legislation.

The MoICS also announced a plan for intergenerational transmission of traditional handicraft skills. “Skill development training will be conducted in a cost-sharing partnership with representative associations and organisations of the private sector to produce exportable goods aligned with international market demand through documentation, transfer, and intergenerational transmission of traditional handicraft skills,” read the document.

Likewise, warehouses for the storage of tea and large cardamom (alainchi) will be constructed in a public-private-partnership model, sharing cost with entrepreneurs from the respective sectors.

A programme will be designed and executed for the technical facilitation and infrastructure development to enhance and upgrade small-scale industries to meet food safety standards.

The Industry Ministry is also set to review the achievements of the technology transfer agreements made with various stakeholders and governments in the past. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 June 2026.   

Govt. serious about resolving tea export barriers, says FM Khanal

Kathmandu, June 19:  

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shishir Khanal said that the government is seriously concerned about the obstacles emerged in Nepal’s tea exports and that diplomatic dialogue is ongoing with the Indian side on the matter.

“We have already initiated discussions with Indian authorities to resolve the problems seen in Nepal’s tea exports. Concrete diplomatic efforts are being made to find a practical solution to the issue,” he said with the delegation of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Thursday.

According to information received from the Indian side, a resolution is expected soon, he said while noting that discussions are being held with the Indian side for long-term solutions to similar problems affecting the export of tea and other goods.

The FNCCI delegation, led by its president Anjan Shrestha, had urged FM Khanal to take diplomatic initiatives to resolve the existing barriers and complexities in tea exports to India. It drew the attention of the minister to the difficulties faced by Nepal’s tea industry due to new arrangements introduced by the Indian Tea Board.

The FNCCI, in a statement, said on Friday that the recently issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by the Tea Board of India has created further complications for Nepal’s tea exports. It stressed that there are no quality issues with Nepali tea and called for the matter to be raised strongly in bilateral trade mechanisms with the Indian side.

Shrestha said that as the tea sector, which has an annual turnover of around Rs. 12 billion to 14 billion, is in crisis, it would affect the wider economy and the livelihoods of millions. He urged the minister to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The tensions began with TBI implementing mandatory laboratory testing of Nepal’s all tea consignments from May 1 this year. For the first three weeks, Indian authorities conducted random sampling, and the situation remained relaxed.

But after that, authorities in India collected samples of each consignment and sent them for testing, but no lab reports were issued, leaving the product stranded in Kolkata.

Exhibiting protests, 83 tea factories in Ilam and Jhapa halted operations on Thursday. Likewise, a delegation of the Nepal Tea Producers Association came to Kathmandu to find a solution with the government. More than 1,300 tonnes of tea produced in Nepal is stuck in the warehouses in Nepal and India.

According to the Association, this is a recurring problem and needs to be resolved once and for all.

The FNCCI also emphasised the need to establish an internationally accredited laboratory in Nepal for long-term solutions.

Deputy leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party parliamentary party Ganesh Parajuli, and Chair of the Industry Committee at the Parliament Rahbar Ansari, who were present on the occasion, said that both short-term and long-term solutions should be sought for such problems.

Likewise, Commerce Secretary Krishna Bahadur Rawat said that the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies is also engaging through its channels to facilitate the process and expressed optimism that a positive outcome would be reached soon.

 

60,000 workers affected

According to the Nepal Freight Forwarders Association (NEFFA), with around 120 tea industries nationwide, thousands of farmers, and 50,000 to 60,000 workers directly dependent on the sector, the disruption has negatively impacted Nepal’s export trade, foreign currency earnings, and the overall economy.

Statistics from the National Tea and Coffee Development Board showed that Nepal produced 26,983 tonnes of tea, including orthodox, green tea, and other varieties in FY 2024/25.

Expressing serious concern over the recent complications in tea exports, one of Nepal’s key export commodities, and the procedural barriers seen in the Indian market, it said the situation has led to the closure of tea industries, particularly in eastern Nepal, and affected hundreds of tea gardens.

“Processed tea exported from Nepal to India has been held in warehouses for a long time on the pretext of laboratory testing and various technical procedures, disrupting production, distribution, and the entire export chain of the Nepali tea industry,” NEFFA said in a statement on Friday.

The Association noted that a significant share of Nepal’s total tea exports depends on the Indian market, and such barriers have adversely affected not only exporters and entrepreneurs but also the broader economy.

It urged the government to prioritise the issue and initiate immediate diplomatic efforts, including high-level dialogue with relevant Indian authorities, to remove procedural and technical barriers as soon as possible, ensuring smooth, simple, and uninterrupted trade.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 June 2026.   

AI training for educators

Kathmandu, June 19

The Computer Association Nepal (CAN Federation) and the Higher Institutions and Secondary Schools Association Nepal (HISAN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement digital transformation initiatives in the education sector.

The two organisations will jointly conduct a nationwide ‘AI for Educators’ workshop series across all seven provinces, the CAN Federation informed in a statement on Friday.

The programme aims to bridge gaps between educational governance and local technology development, focusing on strengthening teachers’ capacity in artificial intelligence (AI), digital safety, and emerging technologies.

According to the agreement, the initiative prioritises three areas - nationwide teacher capacity building through hands-on AI training, strengthening ICT infrastructure including secure communication systems, data automation frameworks and cloud ecosystem assessment in HISAN member institutions, and curriculum standardisation incorporating prompt engineering, AI-based content development, digital safety and academic integrity.

CAN Federation will mobilise its provincial and district chapters for implementation, while HISAN will coordinate among member colleges and manage training centres, including physical infrastructure, computer labs and internet facilities, read the statement.

The concept and architecture of the ‘AI for Educators’ framework have been developed by Chiranjibi Adhikari, Acting President of CAN Federation.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Adhikari said digital transformation begins in classrooms through teacher training in modern skills such as AI, data science and digital security.

Yuvaraj Sharma, HISAN president, said the partnership would help build a digital ecosystem to enable students and teachers to compete in global markets.

The MoU was signed by Adhikari and Sharma in the presence of officials, including CAN Federation General Secretary Chandra Bilas Bhurtel and HISAN representatives.

Both organisations stated that implementation will begin in the upcoming phase with provincial coordination and gradual expansion of training activities across member institutions nationwide in Nepal under an agreed framework of collaboration as per the joint agreement plan.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 June 2026.   

Nepal to receive $115m ADB loan for water supply, sewerage management

 Kathmandu, June 19

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$115 million (Rs. 17.30 billion) concessional loan to improve water supply and sanitation services and strengthen institutional capacities in rapidly growing municipalities across Nepal.

The fund will be used to implement the Integrated Water Supply and Sewerage Management (Sector) Project, the ADB informed in a statement on Friday, adding that the project is expected to benefit more than 850,000 people in 13 municipalities.

The project will expand water supply coverage by constructing about 64 tube wells, treatment facilities with a combined capacity of about 60 million liters per day, and approximately 2,125 km of water distribution network. Around 72,000 households, including vulnerable and women-headed households, will receive pressurised piped water connections.

Sanitation services will also be expanded and improved in selected municipalities through upgraded sewerage and drainage networks, new or rehabilitated wastewater treatment plants, and faecal sludge treatment facilities. More than 120,000 properties are expected to gain access to enhanced sanitation services.

“The project integrates adaptation and mitigation measures, supported by US$75.27 million in dedicated funding, and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 22,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually,” read the statement.

The ADB’s financing for the project is complemented by US$28.8 million (Rs. 4.33 billion) in government counterpart funding. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development will implement the project, with support from the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management and participating municipalities. The project, with a total value of $143.8 million (Rs. 21.64 billion), is scheduled for completion by June 2032.

According to ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois, this project will expand access to safe and reliable water and sanitation services and strengthen resilience to natural hazards and disaster risks. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 June 2026.