Planned Events

• A programme on finance and investment is being developed.  Details to be published soon.
• A programme of events covering member's interests on finance and investment, travel and tourism, together with regular networking lunches and similar functions is being developed for 2009 and beyond.

LIST OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS 2008/2010

News Reports

LATEST NEWS

Extraordinary General Meeting

AGM Details:

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Embassy of Nepal Press Release 23 September 2008

Hisila Yami, the Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that the new government of Nepal was fully committed to promoting domestic and foreign private investment in the country to attain a double-digit growth in next three years and make the next 10 years a decade of economic transformation. She was speaking as Chief Guest at the inaugural function of the Nepal Fair, which was held on 21-22 September 2008 in central London. Citing the government’s policy and budget, she pledged to make Nepal more-business friendly than ever before.

On the occasion, DFID Minister Shahid Malik said that the UK government, as in the past, will help the Nepali people to achieve peace and prosperity and appreciated the Fair as an effort to accelerate growth and to stand on its own feet by promoting investment, trade and tourism. Mr. Malik asked the new government in Nepal to ensure political stability, rule of law, and clean government to attract foreign investment.

Murari Raj Sharma, Ambassador of Nepal to the UK and the Chairman of the Nepal Fair Organizing Committee, highlighted the objectives of the Fair and thanked the governments of Nepal and the United Kingdom, the Committee members, Nepali and British organizations that supported the Fair. He also read out the message sent to the Fair by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prachand, and Prime Minister of Nepal.

Professor Jake Morton of the Limkokwing University, which generously provided the venue for the Fair, wished the event to be a great occasion to promote Nepal. Co-Chairs Anthony Wieler and Major Damar Ghale offered welcome statement and vote of thanks respectively at the inaugural function.

The inauguration program was followed by expert presentations. Rajendra K. Khetan, Chairman of the Khetan Group of businesses, Radhesh Pant, President of the Bankers’ Association, and Prachanda Man Shrestha, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, made the presentations on Trade, Investment, and Tourism, simultaneously. These presentations were also repeated on Day 2 as well.

To add flavour to the Fair, Nepali ethnic dances, Nepali music, and fashion shows were presented and Nepali cuisine was served. These programs ran for two days as well.

The Embassy of Nepal, in collaboration with the Nepali diaspora in the UK and the British Friends of Nepal, had organized the Fair. There were several stalls displaying Nepali carpets, pashmina, handicrafts, woollen garments, travel and tours, etc. etc. Thousands of Nepali and British people visited the Fair.

On the eve of the Nepal Fair, the Chairman of the Fair Organizing Committee hosted a reception on 20 September in honour of the Chief Guest and business delegates from Nepal. The Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea and Deputy Mayor of Westminster, ambassadors, representatives of the British government, British businesspeople, media representatives, friends of Nepal, and heads of the local Nepali organizations attended the reception. The Chairman also hosted a dinner on 21 September in honour of the Chief Guest and other selected guests.

On the second day, Chief Guest Hisila Yami delivered a talk on Nepal's economic policy that was followed by questions and answers. The Minister highlighted the new government’s commitment to open market economy, produce 10,000MW power in next 10 years, build highways, railways, cable cars, and promote new tourism products including eco-tourism, education tourism and health tourism. Rowan Laxton, Head of South Asia Group, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, stressed on the current needs of Nepal as rapid economic development, prosperity and education. He reiterated the unflinching support of the British Government to help Nepal.

The Minister accompanied by the Nepali business delegation held meetings with the high officials of the British Chambers of Commerce, London Chamber of Commerce, Hinduja Group and Caparo Group and appealed to them to come and invest in Nepal and reap benefits. These officials have assured the Minister that they would take appropriate measures to do so. Ambassador Sharma accompanied the Minister to all these meetings.

Minister Yami, who arrived in London on 20 September, left for home on 23 September.

Embassy of Nepal

London

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Travel and Tourism 12^th November 2008

On the evening, about 80 people gathered, and lively discussion amongst the guests preceded the presentation.  In the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Nepal, and other dignitaries, the meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Britain Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Mr Anthony Wieler. Guests included travel professionals, Ms Sabe Tibbits, from the United Kingdom Trade and Investment, London International, representatives from British Airways and Gulf Air, and members from the Nepal Tourism Board.  Mr. Binaya Prakash Shrestha, Director Corporate Services Department of  Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) led the NTB delegation, and about 25 of the WTM exhibitors from Nepal joined the event.  Ms. Ujjwala Dali, Manager and Mr. Rohini Prasad Khanal, Senior Officer of NTB were also presnt. The invitation to the BNCC event had been sent to all BNCC members, in the name of the BNCC, NTB, and Embassy of Nepal, London.  A copy is attached.  Recipients were to copy the invitation and pass them on to travel agents, as a marketing tool for both Nepal tourism and the BNCC.

Subjects in the Powerpoint presentation included; Getting to Nepal, Airways and Roads, a general description of Nepal, to include the diversity of topography and peoples, Adventure and Wildlife Tourism, a contribution from Mr.  Basant Misra, and cultural, general, soft adventure and two-centre tours.  These served to show the great and diverse amount of subjects available in Nepal for tourists of all types.

Speakers included Major Jones, Mr Raja Ram Giri who publishes “Himalayas-Nepal”, and Mr Basant Misra, President of the Nepal Association of Tour Operators.  Mr B P Joshi, editor of Sagarmatha Times, and representative of E-Bookers, a large online booking agency, also said some words.  A brief talk by Mr Binaya Prakash Shrestha, Director, NTB on the current Government thinking on tourism was followed by a contribution from His Excellency Mr Murari Raj Sharma.  This rounded off the presentation.  A Nepali supper followed, which allowed networking amongst the guests. Grateful thanks were passed to the Embassy, speakers, and guests.

Murray Jones

Presenter and committee member

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Hydro-power Seminar 3 December 2008

On 3rd December the BNCC sponsored a “Forum” on the Water Resources and Hydro-power plans for Nepal, and the British Hydropower Association invited their members to participate, so that several major companies were represented at the Embassy of Nepal, and the key speakers covered the full range of possibilities from “Pico Hydro” to Mega projects, which might add 10,000 MW to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the National Grid over the future decade/s.

The Chairman of BNCC read an announcement issued by the NEA on the previous day (2nd December), increasing the weekly “load-shedding” hours to 45 hours of power cut, reflecting the NEA’s current power deficit of 80MW of electricity, in a country with the greatest potential for renewable energy in the world.

Wind and Solar energy were mentioned, but the main thrust of the presentations and discussions was devoted to Water and the Mountains.

His Excellency the Ambassador from Nepal drew comparisons with Nuclear and other fuels, and the audience included representatives from Oil companies and other power sources.

Those present (amongst whom was Mr Yogi of the BBC Nepali section) were given copies of the September edition of “Global Nepali” (a magazine published in Nepal) with a major survey on “Harnessing Water Resources”, and a brief report from Neville Sarony QC about his Welcome Energy Development Company’s Lower Balefi Hydro-Electric project  with a run-of-the-river scheme to add 20MW at a cost of US$32million.  The representative of Scott Wilson (international consultancy group) brought copies of their Capability Statement on Hydropower, and other facts and figures were provided by the Embassy in a booklet printed out at the time of the “NEPAL FAIR 2008” in September.

The Prime Minister of Nepal had sent a letter printed in the programme for the Fair, setting a target of 10,000MW to be added in the next ten years.

Drona Upadhyay PhD, senior engineer with IT Power, made a fascinating power-point presentation about the equipment and projects enabling single households and villages to set up micro generators and “Pico Hydro” schemes. This was followed by a very authoritative presentation on the Mega schemes by Gavin Warnock, Chairman and Managing Director of Monitor (International) Ltd, one of the founder members of BNCC, who has devoted a lifetime career to assisting Nepal in a wide range of Hydroelectric projects. The power-point slides covered the great advantages which Nepal has in the Hydro Energy sector, but added realism to the ambitious targets which were being set. The past, present and future projects were all reviewed and Gavin Warnock asked his fellow members of BNCC to keep the subject in the minds of the industry, the engineers and financiers.

Each month the BNCC tries to cover different subjects which might help Nepal to develop an Economy which will make the country self-sufficient, and less dependent on “Aid”.  BNCC will revert to Hydropower in future meetings and the subject will be discussed when the Banks invite investors in 2009, with a meeting proposed in May.

The next meeting of the BNCC on 16th January is to be devoted to discussing the ways in which Nepal’s agriculture and horticulture can be developed to raise the values from basic rice and maize to fruits and flowers and herbal medicines.

The names and addresses of other members and the companies concerned with each sector, can be made available to the members of BNCC and the Chamber has links to the British Chambers of Commerce, The London Chamber of Commerce, The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, the Council for Foreign Chambers of Commerce, the Industry and Parliament Trust and to government bodies like the FCO, UKTI, DFID etc.

Anthony Wieler

Chairman, BNCC

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