Nepal Investment Summit 2024
28 April 2024
Your excellencies,
The Right Honorable Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal,
Ministers,
Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha,
Honorable Finance Minister, Barshaman Pun,
Distinguished delegates, investors, business leaders,
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
As Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development, it is with great honor and a sense of shared purpose that I address you today at the Third Nepal Investment Summit.
Nepal, a land of breathtaking natural beauty, rich in resources, culture, and a dynamic workforce is already on a positive growth, heading to graduate from the LDC category in 2026.
Its young and dynamic population, a strategic location at the crossroads of Asia, and a growing appetite for progress is poised to become a regional beacon of inclusive growth and innovation.
This summit marks a critical opportunity to showcase Nepal’s immense potential to global investment, and provide a multistakeholder platform to exchange and interact.
From hydropower and renewable energy to sustainable agriculture, tourism, and the technology sector, Nepal offers diverse and lucrative investment avenues that promise meaningful contributions to the nation's development trajectory.
We at UN Trade and Development Conference have long recognized Nepal’s great investment potential, as showcased in the Investment Guide and the Investment Policy Review we undertook especially for the country.
According to our study, Nepal has made significant strides in recent years, demonstrating a strong will to create a conducive business environment.
The government's efforts to streamline regulations, enhance infrastructure and institutional capacity, and promote transparency are encouraging signs for potential investors. Together with the very ambitious policy agenda that has been proposed.
Policies like the New Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act (FITTA), Industrial Enterprise Act, Public Private Partnership Act, IP Policy and Labour Law, are important reforms in Nepal, along with several other investment-related policies in the pipeline to improve its business environment.
As Nepal continues on this path, ensuring a level playing field for both domestic and international investors will be essential to attracting the scale of investment needed to reach its full potential.
We must also prioritize investments that empower women, youth, bridge social divides, and that address Nepal's unique vulnerability to climate change.
Investing in green technologies, resilient infrastructure, and climate-smart agriculture is not merely a profitable choice, but an urgent necessity for Nepal's long-term prosperity and security.
We at UNCTAD stand as a steadfast partner to Nepal on this journey. Our reports, conferences and technical programs are available to support the government in creating policy frameworks that promote sustainable investment, build capacity, and foster technological innovation.
Distinguished guests, the opportunities before Nepal are vast. By working together – government, the private sector, investors, civil society, and international partners – we can unlock Nepal's potential and build a future where economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.
Let this summit be a catalyst for bold action, innovative partnerships, and a resounding commitment to a prosperous and inclusive future for Nepal.
Thank you.
