Trade
liberalisation essential for economic growth:
Dr. Mahat
May 27, 2006, nepalnews.com, Nepal
Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, said that
due to a lack of ‘effective implementation of trade liberalisation
initiatives’, no substantial progress has been made in poverty
reduction and trade expansion fronts.
Mahat however said that the present government
is fully committed towards economic development of the nation.
Addressing a symposium on 'Linkages Between
Trade and Poverty Reduction: Transmission Mechanism and Impact
jointly organized by Forum for Protection of Public Interest (Pro-Public),
South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE)
and Institute for Policy Research and Development on Friday, Finance
Minister Dr. Mahat noted that it is an uphill task to obtain high
economic growth rate at present circumstances.
What is crucial is that we need to make our
economy competitive, focusing on capacity building and removing
barriers. Trade liberalisation activities should be participatory
with the involvement of disadvantaged groups of people so as to
benefit them from this mechanism, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Lawmaker Dilli Raj
Khanal expressed the view that growth of employment sector and
rapid industrial transformation would assist poverty alleviation
while stressing that Nepal should render special priority to the
products on goods that benefit the nation.
He added that the country should move forward
embracing developments in the technological sector and conduct
discussions with foreign countries in order to invite foreign
investment.
Resident Representative of UNDP Matthew Kahane,
stressed that trade liberalisation should be linked with rural
sector’s development endeavors. Kahane said that unless
women are empowered and get involved in mainstream development
activities, poverty reduction would be difficult.
Dr Posh Raj Pandey, president of SAWTEE, was
of the view that proper design and sequencing of trade liberalisation
and development is needed. In connection with linkages between
trade and poverty reduction, global partnership is a must, he
opined.
The paper prepared by SAWTEE recommended that
as there is no mention of the direct trade and poverty linkages
in the poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) of the government,
there is a gap in terms of mainstreaming trade in poverty reduction
strategy.
This news can also be read at Nepal
News
‘Trade
liberalisation needs enforcement’
May 26, 2006, Kathmandu, Himalayan News Service
Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, minister for finance today
pointed out the fact that due to a lack of ‘effective implementation
of trade liberalisation initiatives’, no substantial progress
has been made in poverty reduction and trade expansion fronts.
Dr Mahat stressed that to make ‘trade
liberalisation’ more fruitful, it should be accompanied
with effective implementation.
He was addressing a programme on national policy
dialogue on “Linkages between Trade, Poverty Reduction:
Transmission Mechanism and Impact”, organised jointly by
South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE),
Forum for Protection of Public Interest (Pro Public) and Institute
for Policy Research and Development (IPRAD).
He said that if we could link up trade liberalisation
initiatives with a drive for equality, it might be productive.
What is worrisome is that if the liberalisation policy is not
implemented seriously, it would turn out to be a curse, Dr Mahat
said.
What is crucial is that we need to make our
economy competitive, focusing on capacity building and removing
barriers. Trade liberalisation activities should be participatory
with the involvement of disadvantaged groups of people so as to
benefit them from this mechanism, he added.
Matthew Kahane, resident representative of UNDP,
stressed that trade liberalisation should be linked with rural
sector’s development endeavors. Kahane said that unless
women are empowered and get involved in mainstream development
activities, poverty reduction would be difficult.
Dr Dilli Raj Khanal, UML lawmaker and former
member of National Planning Commission (NPC), said that there
should be a consensus on the economic agenda between the seven
party alliance (SPA) and the Maoists to attain poverty reduction.
Dr Khanal also stressed that it is equally important
to hold public debate on such issues at length. He stressed on
the need to have a new thinking on socio-economic transformation.
Dr Posh Raj Pandey, president of SAWTEE, was
of the view that proper design and sequencing of trade liberalisation
and development is needed. In connection with linkages between
trade and poverty reduction, global partnership is a must, he
opined.
The private sector should come up with effective
mechanisms and move forward to exploit the potentials of trade
liberalisation in a changed context, he suggested.
To reduce poverty, improvement is needed in
household investment as well as consumption, said Dr Pandey while
giving his remarks.
The paper prepared by SAWTEE recommended that
as there is no mention of the direct trade and poverty linkages
in the poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) of the government,
there is a gap in terms of mainstreaming trade in poverty reduction
strategy.
It further states that the indirect link between
trade and poverty can face a number of problems from high economic
growth, as the benefits are not automatically pro-poor.
This news can also be read at The
Himalayan Times
Trade
promotion not import substitution
May 26, 2006, Nepalbiz News
Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat has said
that Nepal should need to focus on trade promotion putting emphasis
on comparative strength rather than old-fashioned concept of import
substitution.
Finance Minister Dr. Mahat was talking to national
policy dialogue on Linkages between Trade and Poverty Reduction:
Transmission Mechanism and Impact jointly organised by SAWTEE,
Pro Public and IPRAD here in capital on Friday.
Dr. Mahat further told, "Benefit of trade
liberalization should trickle down to the poor and rural areas
then only the objective of integration to the global economy could
be achieved."
He expressed his regret saying that medieval
rulers of Nepal couldn't realize the transit potential of Nepal
and maintained suspicious and protectionist attitude with British
rulers in India.
Talking to the program, Matthew Kahane, resident
representative of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in
Nepal said that Nepal's trade liberalization should put emphasis
on rural development and create rural employment. He further informed
that UNDP and Government of Nepal are going begin an assistance
program for trade development jointly.
Similarly, Dr. Dilliraj Khanal, lawmaker and
former member of National Planning Commission (NPC) told that
in the changed context we have to adopt new vision, new orientation
and new commitment to ensure inclusive structure of socio economic
transformation which we failed to do in the last twelve or fifteen
years of democratic exercise.
Dr. Khanal expressed his hope that the new challenge
of economic uprising will be fulfilled by this time since Nepal
is in the way of new history making.
In his welcome address, Dr. Posh Raj Pandey,
president of South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, & Environment
(SAWTEE) told that economic liberalization after 80s received
multilateral, bilateral and various mode of assistance, which
failed to reach the target of prosperity and alleviation of poverty.
Dr. Pandey further warned that trade liberalization and integration
to global economy has opened tremendous opportunity and vulnerability
as well.
Dr. Pushpa Raj Rajkarnikar, president of Institute
for Policy Research and Development (IPRAD) stressed to focus
on rural development and infrastructure development while making
trade expansion.
Talking to the program, Dr. Shree Krishna Shrestha,
president of Forum for Protection of Public Interest (Pro Public)
told that Nepal's trade liberalization should alleviate poverty
and stabilize macro and micro economic sustainability.
This news can also be read at Nepal
Biz News
