Kathmandu: The National Coordination Council of Non-Resident Nepalese Association (NRNA NCC) has submitted 17 points of suggestion to Hon. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.
A team led by NCC President Satendra Shah presented to Minister Khanal, who is in New York to participate in the 81st General Assembly of the United Nations, and gave suggestions regarding the problems, rights and interests of non-resident Nepalis and the participation of the diaspora in the development of Nepal.
The memorandum, which was submitted reminding of the cooperation with the government in the relief and reconstruction after the Bhotekoshi and Rasuwa floods, emphasized on the amendment of the draft of the Non-Resident Nepali Act, 2083, the practical implementation of NRN citizenship, investment protection and provision of voting rights from abroad.
In the 17-point recommendation letter, a joint technical task force of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and NRNA should be formed to finalize the Non-Resident Nepali Act and for the practical use of NRN citizenship, it has been demanded to issue an immediate amendment or binding schedule to the laws related to shipping, immigration, foreign currency and securities. In addition, it has been requested to arrange collection of applications for non-resident Nepali citizenship and online distribution of identity cards from Nepali diplomatic missions abroad, regularization of property purchased before the law was enacted, tax-free family remittances up to 25 million (25 million) rupees per year, easy return of capital and dividends and 10-year free multiple entry visa.
Likewise, in the field of democratic participation and investment promotion, according to the order of the Supreme Court, it has been asked to arrange voting arrangements for Nepalis abroad through proxy or technology and for NRN’s access to the secondary stock market by issuing guidelines by Nepal Rashtra Bank and Nepal Securities Board (SEBON) to operate ‘Diaspora Bond’ and ‘Motherland Fund’. For the facilitation of investors, it is also demanded to establish a joint ‘Single Service and Grievance Redressal Desk’ consisting of representatives from the MoFA, Board of Investment and Industry Department and to bring into operation the ‘Diaspora Expert Network’ and ‘Knowledge Bank’ through an executive decision before the law is passed.
Regarding consular services and the safety of Nepalis abroad, it has been suggested to add enough staff to missions with high demand such as Tokyo, Canberra, Dubai, Doha, Kuala Lumpur and Lisbon or transfer the positions of the missions that will be closed. Due to the increased risk of customer fraud when consulates such as San Francisco are closed, it is emphasized to continue through honorary consuls and mobile camps, to fully digitize consular services, to form a permanent emergency rescue team and 24/7 hotline for the Gulf and conflict-affected areas, and to establish a legal aid fund in missions for workers and students in trouble in Europe and the Gulf.
For long-term cooperation, it has been requested to establish a ‘Diaspora Coordination Center’ with a separate staff under the MoFA, to prepare a registry based on national studies and consensus to keep up-to-date details of the skills and capital of Nepalis abroad, and to connect Nepali children of the second and third generation with the motherland, and to expand access to Nepali language classes and open universities.
NRNA America has expressed its commitment to provide full support to the government in reconstruction, investment promotion and crisis management by asking for the establishment of a Diaspora Coordination Center, the formation of a joint task force for the NRN Act and the regular review meeting. A team formed under the coordination of Sunil Shah, Chief Conservator of NRNA NCC America, prepared the draft of the recommendation letter.
After receiving the recommendation letter, Minister Khanal informed about the government’s policy and priority to use the diaspora as an important partner for the economic transformation of Nepal. He presented the government’s view on using the knowledge, skills, capital, technology and communication network of the Nepalese diaspora in the economic development and transformation of Nepal.
Minister Khanal said that it is the government’s priority to effectively mobilize the contribution of the diaspora in the economic transformation of Nepal by further strengthening the relationship between Nepal and the Nepali diaspora.
