Kathmandu: The National Coordination Council of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA NCC) has submitted a 17-point set of recommendations to Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal.
A delegation led by NCC President Satendra Shah presented the document to Minister Khanal in New York, where he was attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The recommendations address the problems, rights and interests of non-resident Nepalis and ways to enhance diaspora participation in Nepal’s development.
The memorandum, submitted in recognition of the NRNA’s cooperation with the government in relief and reconstruction efforts following the Bhotekoshi and Rasuwa floods, calls for amendments to the draft Non-Resident Nepali Act, 2083, effective implementation of NRN citizenship, protection of investment and arrangements for voting rights from abroad.
The 17-point recommendations call for the formation of a joint technical task force comprising representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the NRNA to finalise the Non-Resident Nepali Act. They also call for immediate amendments, or a binding implementation schedule, to laws relating to shipping, immigration, foreign exchange and securities to facilitate the practical use of NRN citizenship.
The recommendations further propose that Nepali diplomatic missions abroad be authorised to collect applications for NRN citizenship and issue identity cards online; that property purchased before the enactment of the relevant law be regularised; that family remittances of up to Rs 25 million a year be exempt from tax; that the repatriation of capital and dividends be facilitated; and that a 10-year, multiple-entry visa be provided free of charge.
On democratic participation and investment promotion, the NRNA has called for voting arrangements for Nepalis living abroad through proxy voting or technology, in line with Supreme Court directives. It has also called for access to Nepal’s secondary stock market for NRNs through guidelines issued by Nepal Rastra Bank and the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON), and for the operation of a ‘Diaspora Bond’ and ‘Motherland Fund’.
To facilitate investment, the recommendations propose establishing a joint ‘Single Service and Grievance Redressal Desk’ comprising representatives of the MoFA, the Investment Board and the Department of Industry. They also call for the ‘Diaspora Expert Network’ and ‘Knowledge Bank’ to be made operational through an executive decision before the relevant legislation is enacted.
Regarding consular services and the safety of Nepalis abroad, the NRNA has recommended increasing staffing at high-demand missions in Tokyo, Canberra, Dubai, Doha, Kuala Lumpur and Lisbon, or transferring positions from missions that are to be closed.
The recommendations also call for continued consular services through honorary consuls and mobile camps, particularly in view of the increased risk of fraud following the closure of consulates such as San Francisco. They propose the full digitisation of consular services, the establishment of a permanent emergency rescue team and a 24-hour hotline for the Gulf region and conflict-affected areas, and the creation of a legal aid fund at missions to assist Nepali workers and students facing difficulties in Europe and the Gulf.
For long-term cooperation, the NRNA has proposed establishing a ‘Diaspora Coordination Centre’ with dedicated staff under the MoFA. It has also called for a national registry, based on studies and consultations, to maintain updated information on the skills and capital of Nepalis abroad. The recommendations further propose measures to connect second- and third-generation Nepalis with their ancestral country, including expanding access to Nepali-language classes and open universities.
NRNA America has expressed its commitment to providing full support to the government in reconstruction, investment promotion and crisis management. It has also called for the establishment of a Diaspora Coordination Centre, the formation of a joint task force on the NRN Act and regular review meetings. A team coordinated by Sunil Shah, Chief Conservator of NRNA NCC America, prepared the draft recommendations.
After receiving the memorandum, Minister Khanal outlined the government’s policy and priority of engaging the diaspora as an important partner in Nepal’s economic transformation. He highlighted the potential to utilise the knowledge, skills, capital, technology and communication networks of Nepalis abroad for the country’s economic development and transformation.
Minister Khanal said the government’s priority was to further strengthen relations between Nepal and the Nepali diaspora and effectively mobilise the diaspora’s contributions to Nepal’s economic transformation.
