Kathmandu, October 15

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali today said the government had taken the newly established think-tank Nepal Policy Institute as a partner for the development of the nation.

He also stated that the government was ready to engage NPI in its policy discourse. NPI is a newly established think-tank of Non-Resident Nepali Association.

As a speaker at the plenary session on the ‘Diaspora’s Role in Development Policies of Nepal’ during the first NRN Global Knowledge Convention, Minister Gyawali suggested to NPI that it audit Nepal’s existing public policies on the basis of best practices in the world and recommend alternative policies. He asserted that the country was in the process of transformation and relevant policies were the need of the hour.

Lauding the Nepali diaspora’s research strength, he requested NPI to harness them and recommend policies to achieve the government’s aim of ‘prosperous Nepal, happy Nepalis’.

Coordinator of the plenary and NPI Chair Khagendra Dhakal said that since the 1990s the Nepali diasporas had played a key role in development of the country.

“Many things which are not possible to do living away from the motherland have become possible now due to the ICT facilities and advanced modes of connectivity,” he said. Dhakal stated that China’s policy of engaging the diaspora had shifted from ‘Return and Serve Motherland’ to ‘Serve motherland.’’

Similarly, Vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission Puspa Raj Kadel expressed willingness to collaborate with NPI. “NPC being the major government think-tank, I would appreciate the collaboration of NPI in areas of government priorities,” he said. Kadel said the areas identified by the NPI were also prioritised by the government, but there were a few other areas NPC wanted NPI to consider.

In the plenary session, Sharad Neupane presented NPI’s Strategic Plan (2019-2021), which focuses on  policy research on migration, remittance, social security, research-based education and SDGs.  Neupane said NPI was ready to serve the country by partnering with the government.

Former president of NRNA Shesh Ghale thanked Minister Gyawali and the NPC vice-chair for their willingness to collaborate with NPI. Ghale said NPI had been conceived in view of the changing nature of the Nepali diaspora.

Krishna Adhikari from Oxford University and Yubaraj Pokhrel from South Asian University of Delhi shed light on how diaspora scholars could contribute to the development of Nepal in the true sense.

Economist Madan Kumar Dahal, social leader Sharu Joshi Shrestha and NRNA Chair Bhaban Bhatta commented on the plenary speeches as panel members.