Kathmandu, Sept. 28
Chairman
of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Gunakar Bhatta has said that
Nepal needs constructive engagements with major powers, regional actors,
multilateral institutions, knowledge networks and transnational communities.
"Such
engagement can help attract additional investment and expand the country's
productive capacity," he said while speaking at a 3-day seminar and policy
workshop 'Brand Nepal: Protecting identity, projecting influence and creating
strategic opportunities' organised by the Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA)
that kicked off in Kathmandu on Monday.
This will provide a foundation for creating the strategic
space needed for national development and prosperity, he said.
According to Dr. Bhatta, strengthening Nepal's
international position and fostering national development through its unique
identity and strategic engagement should be the national priority.
"Such promotion should reflect distinctive
characteristics and Nepal's historically developed identity while impressing
the country's social privilege," he said, presenting the human
environment, biodiversity, cultural heritage, religious and philosophical
traditions, trading and mountaineering, music and literature, and the lived
experience of a diverse society as the distinctive characteristics that can promote
Nepal's image internationality.
Dr. Bhatta said that protecting national identity,
projecting influence, and creating strategic opportunities are deeply rooted in
our traditional values, norms, natural resources, ancestral heritage, and
unique geography. Together, they form an integrated strategy for strengthening
the country's position in the international arena.
He said that the country's primary task is to organise
these resources strategically, promote economic diplomacy, and create an
invetstment-friendly environment.
Speaking
at the programme, economist and former Vice-chancellor of the Kathmandu
University Dr. Achyut Wagle suggested to have a national narrative built
through the consensus as a vehicle of branding. He stated that national
branding is a two-way process - international recognition must be supported by
credibility, quality and experience.
Likewise,
a strong national brand should translate into greater tourism, exports,
investment and respect for Nepali citizens abroad.
He
said that Nepal’s growing dependence on imports has raised fundamental
questions about economic security and sovereignty. "When a country imports
much of what it needs for survival while struggling to expand exports, its
vulnerability increases. Strengthening domestic production, diversifying
exports, attracting investment and building resilient supply chains must
therefore be central to national policy," he said.
According
to Dr. Wagle, Nepal’s diplomatic missions should consequently play a stronger
role in economic diplomacy - promoting Nepali products and services,
facilitating investment and building commercial partnerships.
However,
he maintained that this requires capable ambassadors and diplomats with
expertise in economics, trade and international business. The IFA and
diplomatic missions should equip representatives with the knowledge and tools
necessary to advance Nepal’s economic interests.
Dr.
Wagle suggested looking beyond the foreign aid for national development since
greater opportunities lies in trade, foreign direct investment, tourism,
technology transfer, and international market access.
"Nepal
needs a coherent strategy that converts its international identity into
tangible economic opportunities and broader national prosperity," he said.
Executive
Director of the IFA Rojina Tamrakar said that Nepal's geopolitical and
geo-economic environment presents a related challenge. "The dependence on
external markets and transit systems, exposure to climate change and
relationship with multiple development partners create vulnerabilities.
However, the same conditions may also provide opportunities in trade, energy,
knowledge, tourism, connectivity and diplomacy," she said.
She
stated that these possibilities can be realised through realistic sectoral
strategies and stronger institutional capacity.
According
to Tamrakar, the three-day seminar explores national branding, intellectual
property protection, soft-power diplomacy, and strategic geo-economic
positioning for Nepal.
The
deliberations on the first day were focused on identifying distinct national
assets - such as cultural expressions, traditional knowledge, and environmental
practices - and legal frameworks for protection. It also discussed intellectual
property mechanisms like Geographical Indications, trademarks, and patents,
alongside strategies to commercialise national value whilst ensuring community
ownership and fair benefit-sharing.
According
to the IFA, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the seminar will examine translating
cultural heritage into an authentic soft-power narrative, with discussions on institutional
governance, public diplomacy, international communication, and engaging the
diaspora, alongside aligning government, private sector, and cultural roles to
convey a credible global brand.
Likewise,
major-power dynamics, trade constraints, climate change vulnerabilities, and
economic dependencies are also the areas of deliberations.
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