House of Representatives Endorses WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

Kathmandu: The House of Representatives has endorsed a proposal seeking approval of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies by majority vote.

The proposal was presented during today’s session by Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, who called for discussion on the agreement’s provisions. Following deliberations, the agreement was approved.

Lawmakers, including Rama Koirala Paudel, Hemraj Rai, Hitraj Pandey, and Prem Suwal, took part in the discussion.

Minister Bhandari highlighted that the agreement is a multilateral initiative that, once implemented, will enable Nepal to raise its concerns and assert its rights more effectively at the WTO. He noted that 106 countries have already expressed their support for the agreement.

“Although Nepal is a landlocked country, we have the right to use the sea. Once the agreement takes effect, fish produced in Nepal will gain better access to international markets,” he said.

The next meeting of the House of Representatives is scheduled for 1 PM on Tuesday.

(RSS)