Political uncertainty deterrent to NRN investment

Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) on Tuesday tagged political uncertainty as one big impediment to investment and urged the government to end transition at the earliest. "Certainty is one big boost to investment. The government must seriously work to assure it to NRNs," said Sanjiv Subba, an NRN from Thailand.

On the first day of the fourth NRN Global Conference, the NRNs suggested the government to improve law and order situation to create the investment climate. During the technical sessions of the conference, NRNs on the day volleyed lesser demands than the past, while the government officials too were much more positive. At an interaction on ´Foreign Employment, Migration and Remittance: Challenges and Opportunities in the face of Global Financial Crisis´, experts sought more cooperation from NRNs for better management and expansion of the overseas employment sector. They also asked NRNs to contribute more on exploring new job opportunities and protecting the rights of Nepali workers in the overseas destinations.

"NRNs should make more contribution in exploring new labor destinations and also lobby for the welfare of Nepali workers, especially given that employment opportunities within the country has been shrinking," said Sarat Dash, chief of mission of the International Organization of Migration- an inter-governmental organization. He also asked the Nepali diaspora to uphold the contribution of Nepalis for the development of host countries and also work in close cooperation with Nepali diplomatic missions to ensure rights and safety of Nepali migrants. Although ongoing financial crisis has severely impacted workers from other exporting countries, only 214 Nepalis are reported of being laid-off so far due to the global economic slowdown.

"Nepali diaspora must also engage with the host countries´ government to lobby for the greater rights of Nepali workers and safe return of those who are in trouble in foreign land," said Dash. Mohan Krishna Sapkota, director general of Department of Foreign Employment, said dealing with problems of Nepali workers in trouble is getting more complex as half of around three million Nepali migrants have moved out in different labor destinations undocumented and subject to different mistreatments in overseas destinations.

Open border, lack of training, insufficient diplomatic missions in labor destinations, paucity of government resource to deal with different challenges facing foreign employment sector are some of the problems in foreign employment. Dr Asif Ali Siddiqui, NRN representative from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), proposed establishment of a business network among NRNs to channelize and support productive utilization of remittances. Siddiqui also stressed on the need of producing skilled workers in the country through vocational trainings to ensure better job opportunity in labor destinations. According to conservative estimate, around 75 percent of Nepali overseas workers are unskilled, 20 percent semi-skilled and 5 percent are skilled. Tilak Ranabhat, the president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, urged the NRNA not to undermine the role of Nepali manpower agencies in exploring overseas job opportunities to Nepali youths. Nepali business community, on the other hand, called upon the NRNs to invest on hydropower, infrastructure, manufacturing and other service sectors.
Source:Republica