Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 26:

Business experts underscored the need to promote businesses that have competitive and comparative advantages to reap the benefits of membership to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Speaking at a workshop, ‘World Trade Organisation Membership: Capacity Building of Private Organisations,’ organised by the ministry for industry commerce and supplies (MICS) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), various speakers stressed on the need for cooperation between public and private organisations to reap the benefits offered by WTO membership.

Dr Shanker Sharma, vice-president of National Planning Commission said that Nepal has competitive advantages in agriculture and small and medium scale industries. However, he added, the approach of private institutions would play a vital role in the development of these sectors.

“Private organisations should give emphasis on the uses of modern technologies, quality management and hardcore professionalism,” he said adding that government is ready to create a favourable climate to support it.

Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, president of NCC said that the government has failed to work as per the policy of WTO in easing custom rules despite becoming a member of WTO for almost a year time.

Shrestha also blamed the government for being inefficient in introducing competitive laws as committed to the WTO. More than three dozen laws await to be ratified and intellectual property right is also awaiting a proper attention, said Shrestha. “The government should promote local expertise to formulate a conducive economy and tax policy,” he said.

Working papers on ‘Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights and Nepal, Future Strategy for Building Capacities of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and Nepal in WTOM Role of Private Sector and Business Advocacy’ were presented by Dr Bhola Chalise, Dr Surendra Bhandari and Bijendra Man Shakya respectively, at the workshop.

Mahesh Kumar Agrawal, expresident, Jagdish Prasad Khetan and Surendra Bir Malakar, vice-presidents, and Surendra Kumar Basnet, general secretary of NCC, Prachanda Man Shrestha, joint secretary at MICS and other government officers were also present at the programme.