The top US officials, including senior officials at the White House, US Congress and Senate, made such remarks at a function that Nepali Ambassador to the US Shankar Sharma hosted in honor of the newly appointed US envoy to Nepal Scott H DeLisi on Friday. [break]
Officials at the Embassy, who are soon receiving a trade delegation from Nepal, mainly tagged the response as the first major positive step towards the start of meaningful economic dialogue between the two countries.
Among others, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, former US Ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell and chiefs of US Congress and Senate who look after South Asia attended the function.
On the occasion, DeLisi, who is scheduled to assume office in Kathmandu by mid-April 2010, assured to extend his full support to Nepal´s efforts on strengthening economic diplomacy with the US.
“The response reflects US´s positive gesture and it has come at a good time,” said an official at the embassy, referring to the upcoming visit of a high-level Nepali trade delegation to the US.
The team led by Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha which comprises top officials of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) and Garment Association of Nepal (GAN) is arriving Washington on April 4.
The delegation during the meeting will mainly discuss Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) -- a pact that US Trade Representative (USTR) Office prescribed to Nepal to win special market access facility in the world´s largest economy.
It will also push for zero-duty for Nepal´s dying readymade garment industry, apprise investors and officials there about investment avenues and opportunities in Nepal and seek assistance for trade related infrastructure development.
For the purpose, the team will be holding talks with senior officials of US Trade Representative, senators and congressmen.
The Nepali team will also interact with US business organizations, and work towards establishment of a reliable and workable private-private ties -- a mechanism that could help investors on the other side of Atlantic know about business and investment opportunities here.
“The main objective of the visit is to get a tangible and formal public and private links established so that economic engagements between the two countries could be rejuvenated,” said Ojha prior to his departure.
Amid political turmoil and instability, Nepal´s trade and economic relations with the US has faded in recent years. Nepal has received almost nil US investment and its major exports like readymade garment has also collapsed.
As a result, bilateral trade between Nepal and the US stands very nominal with Nepal enjoying a trade surplus of Rs 180 million.
Related story
Cooperation for trade
)
