FNCCI president meets QCCI chairman, urges action on Nepal–Qatar JBC

KATHMANDU: Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal has urged that private sector cooperation between Nepal and Qatar move beyond dialogue and become 'concrete investments, joint projects and result‑oriented partnerships'. He said the FNCCI is ready to operationalise the Nepal–Qatar Joint Business Council (JBC) “soon”.

Speaking after a meeting in Qatar on Monday with Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Dhakal said the long‑standing ties between the two organisations should now enter a new phase focused on practical outcomes. He said the relationship between Nepal and Qatar is rooted in people‑to‑people trust, mentioning that the contribution of Nepali workers in Qatar has strengthened economic links between the countries.

Recounting the agreement reached during the Emir of Qatar’s visit to Nepal in October 2023, Dhakal said, “List of private sector representatives from Nepali side has been finalised; now we want to bring this mechanism into practice.” He added that the JBC would provide an effective platform for B2B cooperation, help identify sectoral investment opportunities, resolve business barriers and advance joint investments and projects.

Dhakal highlighted Qatar’s strengths in energy, infrastructure, finance, investment, tourism, services and logistics, and said Nepal has prioritised private sector partnerships in those areas. He listed attractive opportunities in Nepal in hydropower, renewable energy, tourism, agro‑processing, information technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, health and education, and said “Nepal is open for investment”.

He emphasised that the hydropower sector — from production to transmission and energy‑based industries — is particularly suited to long‑term partnerships, and suggested Qatari investors could play a significant role in tourism through hotels, resorts, adventure and health tourism, and aviation services.

According to FNCCI, the QCCI chairman said the meeting would further strengthen the Nepal–Qatar economic partnership and committed to deepening cooperation with FNCCI in the coming days. He also expressed a positive outlook on the early finalisation of the JBC.

Dhakal outlined policy and legal reforms the Government of Nepal has undertaken to improve the investment climate. He said the government is implementing changes through policy stability, digital systems, public‑private partnerships and simplified procedures.

Referring to recent Gen-Z protests in Nepal, he described them as a sign of positive consciousness calling for good governance, transparency and opportunities, and said addressing those voices correctly would help institutional strengthening and create a more stable business environment.

During the meeting, Dhakal extended an official invitation to the QCCI chairman and his delegation to attend the upcoming FNCCI annual general meeting (AGM). The QCCI chairman committed to participating in the AGM, according to FNCCI.