Nepal, Switzerland discuss bilateral cooperation on trade and tourism

KATHMANDU: The Nepal-Switzerland Bilateral Consultations Mechanism (BCM) meeting in Switzerland reviewed the entire spectrum of Nepal-Switzerland relations including economic ties, development partnership, multilateral cooperation, and contemporary global issues such as climate change and human rights.

The BCM also discussed the exchange of high-level visits, Nepal’s graduation from the LDC category, progress made towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, and ways to further enhance bilateral cooperation on trade, investment, tourism, science and technology, and vocational training, among others, according to the Nepali Embassy in Geneva.

The fourth meeting of the Nepal-Switzerland BCM was held at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in Bern, Switzerland on Tuesday.

Head of the Europe-Americas Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Joint Secretary Ganesh Prasad Dhakal and Assistant State Secretary for Asia and the Pacific in the FDFA of Switzerland, Heinrich Schellenberg led the respective delegations.

Nepali delegation included Ambassador of Nepal to Switzerland, Ram Prasad Subedi and the Embassy Officials whereas the Swiss Delegation included officials from the FDFA and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

On the occasion Joint Secretary Dhakal requested the Swiss side to encourage the participation of their investors in the upcoming Nepal Investment Summit being held in Kathmandu this month.

The Nepali side thanked the Swiss Government for consistently placing Nepal as a priority country for Swiss Development Cooperation. While expressing satisfaction over Nepal’s progress, the Swiss side assured of their continued support to Nepal’s development endeavors.

Nepal-Switzerland Bilateral Consultations Mechanism was established in 2015 and the next meeting will be held in Kathmandu on mutually convenient dates, adds the Embassy.