Nepal reaps benefit of Regional Trade Policy Course in India

India is providing in-depth exposure to World Trade Organization (WTO) and international trade issues to Nepal.

The Centre for World Trade Organization studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and World Trade Organization is conducting Regional Trade Policy course for developing nations to understand and implement the World Trade Organization agreements in Trade Policy.

27 government officials from 18 developing countries participated in the Regional Trade Policy course.

The Regional Trade Policy will seek to enhance the participants' understanding of their regional environment relating to trade-policy making and to develop a good understanding of the WTO, including the agreements; improve their analytical and negotiating skills; learn how to use effectively the relevant information and documentation on trade-related issues; and establish and strengthen a network of contacts between the participants and trainers.

The countries which participated in Regional Trade Policy for Asia - Pacific Region, include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vanuatu.

Nepal has a limited research activity related to the World Trade Organization and trade policy inputs from Indian courses provide an opportunity to understand matters related to trade issues.

Anita, who works in Ministry of Commerce, Kathmandu hopes that the Indian training programmes will help to understand and design the Nepal Trade Policy effectively.

"We got good opportunity to learn the provisions in WTO rules and to apply those things in our local context. In regional course we get the opportunity to participate and share experiences from the participants from different countries of the region and that will help us to design our trade policy related to multi-lateral and regional trade regime also. The knowledge gain from here is very important for us, said, Anita Pouder (working with Ministry of Commerce, Kathmandu)

Nepal and India have amended a bilateral transit treaty to facilitate the export of goods from a third country through India.

"The other challenges like we are landlocked so the multilateral trade regime gives us an opportunity to raise our voice in multilateral level so our rights can be protected. Andrelated to transit, India is one country that gives transit to us to join trade with the third country. So the partnership with India is very much crucial for Nepal. We have very good relation with India in trade related matters and transit related matters", Anita Pouder (working with Ministry of Commerce, Kathmandu)

Nepal will be enriched by participating in trade policy courses in India that has a flow of information, experience and knowledge.

"As with any other participating countries, Nepal participant who is here will get an opportunity to deepen her understanding of the agreements but more specifically Nepal exceeded WTO sometime in the year 2003. So it is in process of implementing its obligations. The current training programme will also provide an opportunity for Nepal to learn from the experiences of other countries, what problems they face in implementing the obligations, how these challenges have been meet", said, Professor Abhijit Das (Head of centre for World Trade Organization Studies which is a part of IIFT)

The training programme which draws participants from large number of countries provides a very good opportunity of forging, building, enduring and friendship across the nationality.

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