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Members of the Gorkha Community based in Sydney pledged to render wholehearted support to make the forthcoming Nepal Expo June 21 23, 2002, Sydney, a grand success. As the Expo is an exclusive event of NBCCI to promote Nepal in Australia all parties involved in this event should try their level best to make the exhibition unique was the consensus reached during the meeting with the Chairman Dr. Narayan Pradhan and members of the Gorkha community at the presence of Mr. M.K. Shrestha, President of NBCCI who came here after inspection visit of the preparatory works of Melbourne Exhibition scheduled for May 7 9, 2002. Members of Gorkha Community including Chairman and President of NBCCI also decided to issue lucky coupon for the visitors based on their entrance tickets. First prize of the lucky coupon will provide a round trip free ticket for Sydney Kathmandu Sydney, while second prize winner will receive a carpet and shawl and third prize winner will receive handicraft souvenirs. The meeting also appealed all Nepalese people to wear national dress on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the Nepal Expo 2002, Sydney, Australia.
Royal Nepalese Consulate Supports Nepal Expo 2002. Royal Nepalese Consult General for Sydney Mrs. Christine Gee has expressed her willingness to support Nepal Expo 2002. In a letter addressed to Mr. M. K. Shrestha President of NBCCI, she said, I wish to confirm my wholehearted support for your proposal to host a Nepalese Expo at Darling Harbour in Sydney from June 21 23, 2002. I am impressed with the vision of this endeavor and feel certain that many Nepalese companies will value the opportunity to showcase their products in such a significantly potential market. I also look forward to your extending the concept to include New Zealand. From our meeting last year and this time in my Consulate Office I can see you are committed to ensuring this in a thoroughly professional and substantial event. My main hope is that the event will be successful in attracting sufficient numbers of high quality potential buyers of Nepalese goods and services. Let us hope that the event will be one that is so successful that it can be convened again in the future. I look forward to contributing in every way possible to assist your effort to ensure the success of the Nepalese Expo. She also suggested that carpet weaving and shawl making process should also be demonstrated at the exhibition hall in order to create curiosity among the visitors. The meeting was held in cordial atmosphere between NBCCI President Mr. Shrestha and Consul General Christine Gee on the eve of her auspicious wedding. NBCCI to participate in Three Shows one Major International event! Melbourne NBCCI is to participate in the forthcoming Three Shows One Major International Event! Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center scheduled for May 7 9, 2002 with one pavilion consisting of 10 stalls where Nepalese National products like Hand Knotted Nepalese Carpets, Garments, Pashmina, Wool Products, Handloom Garments, Metal Crafts (Copper, Silver, Bronze etc) Silver and Gold Jewelers, Wood Crafts, Hemp Fiber Products, Nepalese Handmade Paper Products, Pottery Ceramic's Products, related national Symbolizing Gift Items, Buddhist Arts (Thankas), Tour Travels and Trekking gears etc will be exhibited along with the products of other 160 countries of the world. NBCCI president Mr. M. K. Shrestha recently visited Melbourne in order to supervise the works on organizing Nepalese pavilion in good order. In this connection he met the exhibition Manager of Australian Exhibition service Pty. Ltd. Sharon Lithbridge and discussed with her on all aspects of the exhibition.
During the meeting the other two delegation members, Rajendra Subedi and Dal Bahadur Gharti Magar were also present.
Australian Exhibitors Services joins hands with NBCCI NBCCI and Australian Exhibitors Services have entered into agreement to sponsor jointly the long awaited Nepal Expo 2002 in Sydney. Letter of intent to this effect was signed recently in Sydney by President of NBCCI Mr. M. K. Shrestha and Managing Director of the Exhibitors Services (ES) Mr. Michael Sedin. With this development ES will take over all the preparatory tasks concerning the exhibition management with its expertise experience to make the Expo a grand success. Under the Contract ES has agreed to undertake following tasks: Staffed Expo secretariat; Maintain computerized financial and statistical records on the event; Assist with venue selection and booking of required dates; Provide regular ongoing liaison with the SCES management; Establish a working relationship with the Nepalese Consulate General in Australia and liaise with them regularly to promote the exhibition and make use of their extensive contacts of ex-patriots in Australia; Liaise closely with the client on Official Opening Ceremony, cultural entertainment, and assist with the planning and actual running of these activities at the event. ES will write to the Australian Federal Government and the NSW State Government and invite appropriate Minister(s) to attend the official opening ceremony; Assist with designing the exhibition floor plan and recommend suitable shell scheme stand contractor, obtain quote for supply of stands and other services; Will appoint the stand contractor once approved an liaise them on a regular basis. ES will work with the NBCCI organizers to set realistic budgets for the exhibition and realistic visitor targets based on our knowledge of the Australian exhibition industry; Recommend the qualified exhibition electrical contractors employed by the stand contractor to supply power connections and stand lighting, and liaise with the on behalf of the client; Advise on menu selections and arrange for catering at the venue for exhibitors and visitors. ES will Proof read all printed material, advertisements, signage, banners and brochures produced in Nepal prior to printing and production. This is essential to ensure that the material is correct and will not cause offence by incorrect grammar, spelling etc. Prepare an accommodation schedule with a range of' suggested hotels at discounted lock bookings and provide detailed rooming lists for the selected hotel. ES recommend an appropriate and qualified international freight handling company to assist with shipping of the exhibitors displays to Australia, and assist the agent with Customs Clearance, Duty Payable, GST and other statutory requirements; Assist the client and exhibitors with their Visa applications from the Australian Embassy or Consulate in Nepal.
State Chamber of Commerce and Industries Sydney. State Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Sydney (SCCS) is a sister organization of NBCCI. In collaboration with the SCCS the NBCCI started its business activities in Australia and continued cooperation with SCCS is envisaged with great interest to promote Nepal Australia trade and industrial relation in the best interest of two sides. In his recent visit to Sydney, NBCCI President Mr. Shrestha renewed the traditional relation with SCC. At a meeting organized in Sydney, the Trade Development Manager of SCCS, Sydney Janette Shomar expressed her willingness to extend all possible help and assistance to make the Nepalese Expo 2002 in Sydney a success. Mr. Shrestha at the meeting expressed heartfelt thanks to SCCS for their continued support. Following this meeting SCCS is supporting NBCCI' s agendas to organize an interaction programs between Nepalese and Australian business people after the closure of the Expo 2002. The interaction meeting in expected to contribute significantly in the promotion of trade industrial joint venturebetween Nepal and Australia.
With a view to benefiting from the pledges made by the developed member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) during the fourth Ministerial Conference held at Doha, Qatar last year, Nepal has formally submitted its opinion to its negotiating partners. The communication that we have done is in order to understand the views of the WTO members over Nepal's accession to the WTO, said Prachanda Man Shrestha, Chief of the WTO cell at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. The WTO cell has sent letters to each of the negotiating partners, except India, seeking their opinion, which would pave way for the protracted second round of bilateral negotiations. The first round of bilateral negotiations was held in September 2000. However, if the negotiating countries, as per the commitments they made during the last Ministerial meet, do not seek additional commitments from Nepal, that would automatically qualify Nepal for the WTO Membership. Developed countries at the Doha meet had pledged to help in the accession of least developed countries (LDCs) into the WTO promising not to ask for WTO plus commitments from the new members. That has raised hopes for all LDCs in obtaining WTO membership on a fast track basis. Nepal, at the first round of bilateral negotiations held in September 2000, had discussed a wide range of issues with its trading partners, including binding tariff, market access, and opening of service sector, among others. Nepal had negotiated with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Sri Lanka and the United States proposing binding tariff of five to six times more of the applied rates. Nepal then had proposed an average of 60 percent binding tariff on agriculture. However, it had argued for open ended binding rates in the case of cement, cigarettes, liquor, arms and ammunition, and vehicles, among others. Nepal had proposed the binding tariff on the higher side to protect the interests of the domestic industries. Participants in the negotiations had lamented over the high tariff offers made by Nepal for its accession to WTO and had requested Nepal to review its proposed binding rates. They had questioned Nepal over the high difference in the proposed and applied tariff rates. (They had also demanded further expansion of the service sector to foreign investors, which Nepal so far allows only in the areas of tourism, health and telecommunications). However, if he negotiating partners now do not raise any further objection to Nepal's earlier proposal, then Nepal' s berth in the WTO would be reserved after duly completing the formalities in the Second Working Party meet. Developed countries at the Doha Conference had vowed to help in the accession of LDCs to the WTO promising not to ask for to ask for WTO plus commitments from the new members. That had raised hopes for all the LDC for obtaining WTO membership on a fast track basis, and more importantly, at fewer commitments. If the countries that had shown interest to negotiate with Nepal do not raise objections to Nepal's proposal in the first round of negotiations, then Nepal would get an early entry into the global trading regime . However, if the countries stick to their previous demands for a more open market and lower tariff binding, Nepal would be compelled to sit for another round of negotiations. Whether the negotiating partners ask for more commitments of not, Nepal's formal entry into the WTO is likely to take place right after the Second Working Party meet. It is the Working Party meeting that formalizes the agreements reached at the bilateral negotiations. The Second Working Party meet was formerly expected to be held during March/April last year, but was postponed in the light of then upcoming Doha meet. The First Working Party meet was held in Geneva in March, 1999. The Working Party meeting would mull on a wide range of issues including systemic track, which encompasses the rules and regulations of WTO, and ways to deepen market access of foreign firms to domestic markets of WTO membership seeking countries. So far, not a single LDC has acceded to the WTO since its establishment in 1995. Nepalese Government Officials had claimed in 1998 that the accession process would be completed by mid 2000. Which was later extended to July 2001. Development of Foreign Trade and Industry in Nepal. - Shankar Pd. Sharma
Development of Foreign Trade and Industry in Nepal Rapid industrialization has long been a key component of economic development strategy of development strategy of developing countries including Nepal. The main motivation for industrialization has been a desire to diversity the economy from over modernizing economy. Nepal initiated its development efforts in the mid-fifties with the launching of the first development plan in 1956. However, strategies taken for industrial and trade development were protectionist in nature. Industrial legislation was introduced to protect domestic industries from the external competition through extensive government control and regulation. The result of protectionist economic policy was not encouraging. Macroeconomic stability was ignored and the pace of economic growth was sluggish. Nepal opened up its economy in the early 1990s with the adoption of liberal and market oriented policies. Economic reform programs have been sweeping. The trade and industrial sectors benefited from the reform program, but the level of' Nepal's industrialization is still low. Infrastructure and manpower development as well' as legal and policy framework need to be improved. The Government' s present plan and policies are geared towards enhancing the environment for private sector led growth.
Reform measures initiated in the early 1990s were sweeping and covered almost' all sectors of the economy. Reform measures have been adapted in the trade and investment areas, fiscal and monitory policies, financial and capital markets and industrial and hydropower sectors. Elimination of quantitative restrictions and import licenses and reduction and rationalization of tariff rates were the most important policy measures adapted' in the trade regime. Average nominal tariff rate, effective rate of protection' and domestic' resources costs were reduced significantly, peak tariff rates as well as the number of slabs were reduced. Bonded warehouse and duty drawback facilities were' introduced to promote exports. Export procedures have been simplified and full account convertibility for all current account transactions was adopted. Nepal' s trade reform initiation was complemented by the new bilateral trace treaty signed with India in 1996. this treaty allows Nepal to export manufactured products to India free of duty and quota. Similarly, in order to improve the environment for investment, Industrial enterprise Act (1992) and transfer of Technology Act (1992) were enacted in' line with open, liberal and market oriented policy. These Acts, which were amended in 1995 and 1997, further encouraged industrialization process especially though improved environment for investment. Key features of the industrial policy reform include: deli censing, simplification of registration procedures, one windows system facility and privatization of public enterprises. Financial sector reforms have also been carried out to support reforms have also been carried out to support the trade and industrial reforms. Interest rates were deregulated and joint-venture banks were allowed to open. The financial sector reforms have given necessary impetus to the economy and have supported economic activities. In addition to these reforms, a number of strategies have been initiated to develop capital market, hydropower and tourism industries. The results of reform programs have been encouraging. Trade- GDP ratio is estimated to have increased to more that 40 percent in 1999 from less that 23 percent in 1990. Industrial value added increased by an average rate of more than 9 present during the last nine years compared to about 7 percent in the 1980s. The share of manufacturing in GDP increased from less than 6 percent of' GDP in 1989 to about 10 percent in the year 2000. Nepal's trade to India has increased by an average rate of more than 41 percent per annum during 1996 - 99.
Despite these reform initiatives, there are still problems and issues to be addressed in the trade and industrial sectors, the level of industrial production and export is still small, Nepal's share in world exports has remained at a very low level showing that a the country has not been able to increase its global competitiveness. The ninth pan (1997-2002) has outlined a number of strategies to overcome the existing challenges of trade and industry sectors, specially, the plain aims to raise the contribution is industrial sector in GDP through private sector led growth, increase to production and exported of commodities which have comparatives advantages, improve infrastructure and encourage small and cottage industries to create noon - agricultural employment in rural areas. Export promotion measures are being geared towards export diversification, promoting new exports, and enchaining the competitiveness of exportable products. The government is trying to implement a comprehensive policy to enhance the environment for private sector development programs for improving legal framework including the rules and regulations for private sector governance and tax policy and administration etc, are being initiated. The Multi modal trade and transit facilitation project is being implemented in order to reduce the transportation as well as the transit costs of trade. Allocation of resource development has been raised. A package of financial sector reform program is also being implemented. Export promotion Fund, which has been established to formulate, monitor and evaluate export promotion programs, has development programs to promote and diversify export. Export processing Zones (EPZa) are also being set up to promote export-based industries, Special emphasis is also being given to strengthen backward and forward linkages especially among trade, Industry and agriculture. Similarly, Strategies have also been developed and implemented in the areas of' credit access, technology and information assistance, research and development and human resource development. These efforts are being further strengthened in the ninth Plan. Conclusion
Introduction to Exhibitor Service (Pty) Ltd. (ES) and Conference & Exhibition Organizations Pty. Ltd. (CEO) were started in 1980 and over the past 20 years have successfully organized over 125 events all over Australia. Specializing in Trade Exhibition, Conference and Event Management for' associations, professional societies and government departments. The company is led by Michael Sedin, a qualified accountant with strong budgeting and financial forecasting skills and a dedicated full time team of' qualifies and enthusiastic specialists. Prior to forming the two companies. Michael worked at senior corporate level in a broad range of industries. For a period of 9 years he was also the National Secretary of a major trade association for the health food industry which gives him a unique understanding' of the needs and operational restrictions of trade and professional associations. The company has invested heavily in I/T systems, including networked computer facilities, comprehensive and up to date web-site and Summit Event Management Software. A complete range of services is available from project management, exhibition stand sales and marketing sponsorship procurement, venue selection, delegate and' speaker liaison, accommodation, computerized registration service and financial' management. The Company has just completed a comprehensive audit of Occupational Health & Safety requirements for exhibitions and has now finalized its own Occupational Health and Safety Policy based on guidelines introduced by the Exhibition and Events Association of Australia. Exhibitors Services Pty Ltd. Is a founding member of the Exhibitions & Event Association of Australia (EEAA). Membership of the EEAA is committed to the attainment of high industry standards and monitors the performance of existing and prospective members. The companies are members of the following industry associations and Convention Bureaus.' The meetings Industries Association of Australia (MIAA) of which Michael Sedin' is an Accredited Member.
Meeting with Australian Ambassador A delegation of NBCCI headed by its president Mr. M. K. Shrestha called on Australian ambassador H.E. Mr. Crispin Conroy few days ago and apprised him of' the development taking place in connection with the forthcoming Nepal expo 2002 Sydney. Concerning documents including the participation of minister of state for foreign affairs of Nepal in the opening ceremony of the Expo were handed over to' the ambassador and he assured to convey the matter to the Federal Government of Australia in order to make available Australian government counterpart of the Nepalese minister. He also assured to the delegation to send message about this event to the Australian immigration on participation of Nepalese industrialists and business people. Ambassador Conroy advised to forward as early as possible all papers concerned to Australian Embassy, New Delhi for visa processing. NBCCI president thanked the ambassador for his positive response. According to new rescheduling the Nepal Expo 2002 will take place in Sydney on June 21 23, 2002 for which preparation works are going on war footing. Earlier to this event NBCCI also is participating in three shows (TCF International, Giftware International and Handware and Furnishing International) one major international event. Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center scheduled for May 7 9, 2002 of one pavilion consisting of 10 stalls where Nepalese National products like Hand Knotted Nepalese Carpets, Garments, Pashmina, Wool Products, Handloom Garments, Metal Crafts (Copper, Silver, Bronze etc) Silver and Gold Jewelers, Wood Crafts, Hemp fiber Products, Nepalese Handmade Paper Products, Pottery Ceramic's Products, related national Symbolizing Gift Items, Buddhist Arts (Thankas), Tour' Travels and Trekking gears etc will be exhibited along with other 160 countries of the world. NBCCI has expressed confident that the Exhibition both in Melbourne and Sydney will significantly contribute to promote trade and industrial cooperation between Nepal and Australia.
During his extensive discussion with various parties associated with Nepal Expo 2002 NBCCI President Mr. M. K. Shrestha also talked to Miss Indra Ban Chairperson of Nepalese Australian Association to garner her full support to the forthcoming prestigious Nepal expo 2002, Sydney. Miss Ban who is also the official representative of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) in Australia expressed her determination to extend fullest support to make the Expo a grand success on behalf of her association and NTB. Mr. Shrestha in his earlier visit to Sydney, last year also discussed in length and breadth about the proposed Nepal Expo 2002, Sydney and Miss Ban had whole-heartedly expressed her commitment to make the event fully successful.
Sydney is Australia' s oldest and largest city, a sophisticated cosmopolitan center that graces the shores of one of the world' s most magnificent Harbours. It is surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens and spectacular national parks. This city by the sea blends with the environment rather than overwhelming it. Sydney follows the contours of its Harbour, and the water and warm climate influence the pace an style of life. Sydney' s many Pacific Ocean beached combined with the Australian sun encourage a love of the sea and all sport and leisure activities associated with it. Sydney is a sophisticated city, which offers many cultural attractions to the visitors alike. There are art galleries, museums, theatres, restaurants, nightlife and shopping of international standards. The Sydney Opera house and Harbour Bridge are symbols of not only New South Wales premier city, but also of Australia as a country, to people around the globe. Other familiar landmarks to the people of this city are architectural masterpieces such as the colonial Queen Victoria building and newer marvels like Darling Harbour and the Sydney Tower at Centrepoint. Sydney is a multicultural city, yet it remains vitally Australian, It is a fitting capital for Australia' s first state. Sydney glitters with a seductive charm that captivates the visitors. Set around Port Jackson, one of the world s finest Harbors and natural waterways, this multicultural metropolis is a dynamic business capital, a major international travel destination and an exciting place to live. Nearly one quarter of Australia' s population call Sydney home and the city has a vigorous innovative music, theatre and art. Sydneysiders have always known how to enjoy themselves outdoors in their leisure time. The number of sailing boats in the Harbour at any time of the year and the large crowds on the beaches on a hot day are a good indication of this.
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