A culmination meeting on 'Export Diversification for Human Development' was jointly organised by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE) and ActionAid Nepal (AAN), at the Hotel Shanker, Kathmandu on 10 August 2007.
The major objective of the meeting was to disseminate findings and recommendations of four research studies –'Impact of Textiles and Clothing Quota Phase Out on Nepal: A Study from the Human Development Perspective', 'Export Diversification Strategy for Nepal: An Account of Sectors with Export Potential', 'Trade and Industrial Policy Environment in Nepal', 'Trade Negotiation Strategy for Nepal'.
These research studies were conducted by SAWTEE and AAN under a project supported by the UNDP Regional Center Colombo.
While delivering his welcome speech, Mr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Chairman of SAWTEE stressed that Nepal needs to put concerted efforts in addressing human development challenges posed by the removal of textiles and clothing quotas.
He also emphasised that the government, even in the post World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession era, has got a flexibility to provide export subsides and other support measures to its domestic industries but little initiatives have been made to introduce such measures.
Inaugurating the introductory session of the meeting, Chief Guest of the session, Dr. Posh Raj Pandey, Member, National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal, said that Nepal is currently at a crossroads, both politically and economically.
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