Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 17, 2022
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Nepal Chamber of Commerce based in Kathmandu and the Auckland Business Chamber is set to lift the level of engagement between the two business entities to higher level of engagement.
Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Simon Bridges, who signed the MoU representing his organisation, said that he will be happy to travel to the Nepali Capital to discuss various areas of cooperation and explore possibilities of expanding investment.
“I am excited to sign this MoU on behalf of the Auckland Business Chamber. New Zealand has excellent political and economic relations with Nepal and this MoU is a step in the right direction. I have given my commitment that along with the Auckland Business Chamber, I will work to promote business ties with Nepal through the Nepal Chamber of Commerce. I look forward to visiting Nepal to discover business opportunities for mutual benefit,” he said after signing the MoU in Auckland on December 7, 2022.
Nepal Chamber of Commerce Director General Kailash Kumar Bajimaya signed the MoU on behalf of his Chamber.
Landmark Agreement
Dinesh Khadka, who was appointed Honorary Consul of Nepal in New Zealand in July 2022., facilitated the MoU. He said that it was a landmark agreement.
“As a former President of the New Zealand Nepal Chamber of Commerce and as the Honorary Consul of my country, I am extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to facilitate the MoU with the Auckland Business Chamber. Additionally, as the former President of the New Zealand Nepal Society, I am honoured to represent my country and our people at various levels. Nepal and New Zealand have much to offer each other and as the largest City accounting for a majority of people of Nepali origin, Auckland will lead our engagement with businesses,” he said.
Mr Khadka said that the MoU is extensive, open-ended and creates new opportunities for Nepali and Auckland business communities.
“The MoU provides for regular exchange of information and trade, strengthens market and economic ties and supports visiting commercial and economic delegations. The two Chambers will work together to render the maximum possible assistance for furthering business contacts. It also provides for amicable settlement of trade disputes arising out of business transactions between the members of both Chambers through conciliation,” he said.
The website of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade describes the country’s relationship with Nepal as warm and friendly.
The Edmund Hillary connection
“A key event connecting our two countries was the ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Sir Edmund Hillary was closely connected with Nepal, including being appointed as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to Nepal from 1985 to 1989.
The New Zealand Government makes annual contributions to the Himalayan Trust and plays a role in celebrating important events. This included the June 2013 event to mark the 60th anniversary of the Everest Ascent. The government established the Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship in 2008 to facilitate visits to New Zealand by young leaders from Nepal and India.
New Zealand has a long-standing trade with Nepal, largely consisting of exports of wool and dairy products. Nepal is interested in learning more from New Zealand’s expertise in agriculture. The Asian Development Bank sponsored a visit to New Zealand in 2013 by a Nepali delegation to study the New Zealand agricultural sector, which was led by Nepal’s Agriculture Secretary. New Zealand waives tariffs on almost all imports from Nepal.
Overseas Development Assistance
Overseas Development Assistance New Zealand continues to provide an annual contribution to the Himalaya Trust. The government supports development projects run by New Zealand NGOs in Nepal through the New Zealand Government Contestable Partnership Fund.
New Zealand currently supports a community development project run by Adventist Development Relief, an education project run by Save the Children New Zealand and a cooperative enterprise project run by Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.
New Zealand provides four scholarships per year for Nepali postgraduate students to study in New Zealand under the New Zealand Development Scholarships scheme. The scholarship lengths are usually two to four years but we also promote shorter options.
Under its Head of Mission Fund, MFAT funded, in 2016, an Otago University academic to provide technical advice on geodetic data, to assist Nepal to develop a new coordinate system that is free of the distortions caused by the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
