Kathmandu, August 30 KDDI Corporation, a Japanese telecommunications operator, has expressed its interest to become the strategic partner of Nepal Telecom (NT). Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Masashi Ogawa, had recently informed the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) that KDDI — a Japanese telecom giant — is ready to become NT’s strategic partner and enhance NT technologically in Nepal. “It was revealed at a high-level meeting between Japanese officials and MoIC officials a few days back that Japanese telecom companies including KDDI Corporation are interested to work together with Nepal Telecom,” informed an official at the MoIC. Meanwhile, officials of Nepal Telecom have informed that a number of foreign telecom companies have expressed their interest to partner with NT and the strategic partner would be selected based on the recommendation of the consultant that the NT has hired for consultancy service. “A number of international telecommunication companies have been approaching to partner with us. However, our strategic partner will be finalised on the basis of the reports and recommendations of our consultant,” said Prativa Baidhya, spokesperson for NT. Nepal Telecom, in December last year, had signed an agreement with Analysys Mason Ltd of the United Kingdom to provide consultancy service to NT to acquire a strategic partner. Following the agreement, the UK-based company is supposed to provide consultation service to Nepal Telecom in a bid to select a suitable foreign telecom company for partnership. The consultant company is responsible to carry out the due diligence audit (DDA) of NT, prepare tender documents and offer every consultancy service on the procedures to acquire a strategic partner for N T. Though the government had earlier said it would divest up to 30 per cent of its share in Nepal Telecom to its foreign strategic partner, the actual divestment figure is yet to be finalised. Under the agreement signed by NT, the consultant company will have to complete all reports on acquiring strategic partner within one year of signing the agreement. Meanwhile, Baidhya informed that the consultant company has been performing its task as mandated by the agreement.