KATHMANDU, APRIL 14
Ambassador of Canada to Nepal Cameron MacKay presented his credentials to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari recently. Ambassador MacKay, who first visited Nepal 30 years ago as a backpacker, is delighted as he now has the opportunity to represent his country in Nepal. Ram Kumar Kamat of The Himalayan Times talked to Ambassador MacKay regarding the issues of the Nepal-Canada relations and prospects of growth in bilateral relations between the countries in the future. Excerpts:
HOW IS THE PRESENT STATE OF OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS?
Canada and Nepal share same priorities. We both are democracies and we stand for rules-based international order. We also have our shared priority of human rights. Our votes in the United Nations recently on the Russian invasion of Ukraine reflects our shared viewpoints. This reflects our shared viewpoints on international issues. We established our diplomatic relations in 1965 and our relations have always remained amicable and cordial. We started developing cooperation with Nepal since 1970. Initially, we had provided 900 million dollars under the development cooperation. And that funding has now reached 40 million dollars annually. During the COV- ID-19 pandemic, we tried our best to help Nepal. We provided assistance from vaccines to PPEs and ventilators to Nepal.
HOW HAS CANADA ASSISTED NEPAL'S RECONSTRUCTION BID IN THE AFTERMATH OF 2015 EARTHQUAKE?
Our government reacted soon after the earthquake and sent disaster relief materials worth 27 million dollars to Nepal. What's important was that Canada came with assistance immediately after the quake hit Nepal.
HOW CAN NEPAL AND CANADA BENEFIT FROM TRADE AND INVESTMENT COOPERATION? THERE IS VERY LITTLE TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES? IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY OF ENHANCING TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AND IF YES, WHICH AREAS?
Our bilateral trade amounted to approximately $75 million in 2021. There are plenty of opportunities to grow this relationship across a number of key sectors, including civil aviation, urban infrastructure, Information and communications technology, clean technology (hydropower and alternative energy generation, water and wastewater, etc.) agriculture and agrifood, and education.
In February 2022, Canada and Nepal held a virtual series on dams and hydro industry.The Canadian Embassy led a delegation of 15 Canadian companies and showcased the expertise of Canadian hydro consultants, equipment manufacturers and instrumentation capabilities for Nepal hydro industry. In April 2022, six Canadian companies participated in the Himalayan Hydro Expo in Kathmandu. In March 2021, the Embassy of Canada conducted a virtual Canada-Nepal Dam and Hydro Session that saw the participation of nine Canadian companies. In January 2019, the first Nepal-Canada Sustainable Hydro Workshop was organised in Kathmandu. Several Canadian companies have been active in the Asian Development Bank and hydro projects funded by the World Bank in Nepal. These include Hatch, Stantec, SNC Lavalin and Manitoba Hydro International.
We would like to increase our trade and investment. At present, the trade between the two countries amounts to $75 million annually. Canada works with a representative from the Nepalese business community to facilitate business partnerships. Canada has also planned several business missions for the coming year. Canadian tourists also contribute in Nepal's economy. Before the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, around 17,000 Canadian tourists visited Nepal annually. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was the decline in the number of Canadian tourists visiting Nepal. My effort will be to at least maintain the rate of tourist arrivals in Nepal from Canada like that of the pre-COVID era.
WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR COUNTRY'S COOPERATION IN NEPAL'S HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT?
Canada has considerable expertise in developing hydroelectricity. While Nepal has huge potential of hydropower generation, Canada has good expertise in hydel sector. We can help Nepal expand its hydel capacity. We will also encourage Nepal to exports its agro-products. There are 15,000 Nepali diaspora in Canada and I think that they can also help promote trade and investment relations between the two countries.
IN EDUCATION SECTOR HOW CAN THE TWO COUNTRIES FOSTER THEIR COOPERATION?
There has been a 335 per cent increase in Nepali students studying in Canada since 2015 (1,175 Nepali students as of December 2019).
Since 2021, Nepal is eligibility to benefit from the Study in Canada Scholarships program for short-term academic exchanges. I think every year around 2,000 Nepali students come to Canada to pursue higher studies.
STUDENTS HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE FACING HASSLES IN GETTING VISA FOR CANADA. HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our staff had to work from home which led to huge backlog globally. But we are improving the situation. It will take some time before we catch up with the normal schedule.
YOU EXPRESSED YOUR HAPPINESS FOR VOTING IN FAVOUR OF UKRAINIAN SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AT THE UN. HOW DO YOU ASSESS NEPAL'S OTHER ENGAGEMENTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL FORA?
As a member of the UN, Canada wants to coordinate with other countries to defend rules-based international order. Nepal is a growing democracy and neither Nepal nor Canada is great power. Rather both Canada and Nepal are surrounded by great powers. I think we have to coordinate our responses to ensure that great powers follow the rules.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 15, 2022, of The Himalayan Times
