KATHMANDU, AUGUST 18

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has asserted that the government is ready to lend the required support for promotion and marketing of products manufactured with the use of domestic raw materials and homegrown technologies and skills.

Inaugurating the 'Sixth International Women's Trade Expo' organised by the Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs' Associations of Nepal in Lalitpur today, the prime minister insisted on the need to promote goods and services based on homegrown skills and technologies as well as on promoting market for such products.

The prime minister was of the view that the trade fair featuring the skills of women entrepreneurs would help promote the country's export business, contributing to the protection and sustainability of small and medium-scale industries run by Nepali women. In addition to this, it would be path-altering when it comes to promoting women entrepreneurship, excelling in their skills in the related field, diversifying their services and products, and expanding market for their efforts.

He urged the women community to explore opportunities in the area of entrepreneurship with maximum utilisation of locally-available resources to become economically self-reliant and empowered.

'The expo will be an inspiration to women community to pursue a career as entrepreneur, contributing to the enchantment of women employment, self-employment and to the nation's economy. I hope the expo will contribute to publicity, sale promotion and marketing of goods and services produced by women entrepreneurs and help expand the network and connection of the entire Nepali women entrepreneurs, thereby providing them a platform for the exchange of business ideas and skills,' the head of the government said.

The interactions among entrepreneurs and exchange of import-export information due to take place during the expo will be helpful in consolidating business collaboration, coordination and relations, and this will be the cause for promotion of export of Nepali products and inspiration for foreign investors to explore opportunities in Nepal, according to the prime minister.

He said he was happy to know that the products produced by women entrepreneurs of different districts of all seven provinces, including Kathmandu valley, based on traditional skills of local means and resources would be put on display in the expo.

'I am very happy to know that women entrepreneurs from remote districts, including Jumla, Humla,Dadeldhura and Taplejung have been participating in the expo with their production to put on display,' shared PM Deuba.

Saying the contribution of the private sector is very significant to make the economy dynamic, he mentioned that the private sector has been playing a leading role in creating em-ployment and boosting gross domestic product of the country. PM Deuba also lauded the role played by the private sector for enhancement of economic development of the country.

Expressing the belief that there would be more participation of women in the coming days, he urged them to make it further extensive, well-coordinated and balanced.

PM Deuba pointed out the need for the government and private sector to move ahead by building coordination and collaboration so as to continue the supply system of essential goods and services in the course of facing the possible challenges in the country's economy. He expressed belief that the federation would play a constructive role in promotion of women entrepreneurship.

Federation President Neeru Rayamajhi (Khatri) stressed the need to build collaboration between the government and private sector to promote the services and products produced by women entrepreneurs using local raw materials, skills, technology and experience of international level.

She said the products of women entrepreneurs could be exported to the international market making them more qualitative. She urged the government to pay attention to women entrepreneurs' capacity building, financial management and market promotion as well as to construct local infrastructure for market management of local production.

A total of 109 stalls of agriculture, handicraft, service, festival, food stuffs as well as products of international entrepreneurs have been put on display in the expo. According to expo coordinator Shova Gyawali, 55,000 visitors are expected to observe the expo and transaction worth Rs 20 million has been estimated.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 19, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.