2012 Should Not be a “Wasted Year,” Lamy Urges WTO Members

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Administrator

“2012 cannot and should not be a wasted year,” WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy told delegates in Geneva on Tuesday 14 February. Instead, WTO members should use this year to try taking “small steps” in their efforts to move the Doha talks out of their current stalemate, and avoid setting “unattainable targets or packages.”

Handicraft entrepreneurs form NTIS Cell

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Administrator

Handicraft entrepreneurs have formed a Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) Cell for handicraft products to prepare annual plans.

The cell includes pashmina, handmade paper, woolen products, and silver jewellery.

“We have formed a NTIS Cell to develop plans and programmes for pashmina, handmade paper, woolen products and silver jewellery,” said president of Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal Bikash Ratna Dhakwa, who is also the chairperson of the NTIS Cell.

“We will provide suggestions and also prepare an annual plan for developing the four products which are in the priority list of NTIS,” he said.

GIZ – a German development cooperation — has started implementing its promotion programme for silver jewellery. Under the initiative, GIZ will also organise a six-month training programme for 10 people.

Nepali Times Eco Fair, 2012

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Administrator

Nepali Times Eco Fair 2012 is being held on 11th – 12th February 2012. GIZ WTO/EIF-SP is supporting Nepal Herbs and Herbal Producers Association (NEHHPA) with six stalls in this fair to showcase their herbs and herbal products.

Artha ko Artha – Nepal Television Programme

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Administrator

One of the outputs of the GIZ-WTO/EIF-SP is to develop an advocacy plan and partially implement it. As part of the concept of advocacy platform, the GIZ-WTO/EIF-SP along with SAWTEE  carries out advocacy activities through the use of mass media. Both radio and television are utilized to sensitize a general mass on the WTO issues.

The television programmes are broadcasted through Nepal television in a regular show called ‘Artha ko Artha’. The first episode was broadcasted on June 2011. There are a total of 11 episodes which are broadcasted fortnightly.  It consists of reports and interactions with relevant stakeholders on the WTO issues. It is broadcasted in Nepal Television,  every alternate Sunday at, 9:35 to 10:05 PM.

Aid for Trade (Episode 10)

Supply side constraints and trade facilitation (Episode 9)

BioFach, 2012

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Administrator

“GIZ WTO/EIF-SP is supporting the participation of five Nepali companies in the Biofach 2012 (Feb 15 – 18) to be held in Nurnberg, Germany. BioFach is a World Organic Trade Fair which offers an extensive range of organic food and fair trade products, plus everything worth knowing about agricultural and marketing supplies. It attracts highly qualified, international professionals every year. The objective of the participation in this fair is to improve the market linkages between the Nepalese MAPs sector and the European market.”

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Essential Oils of Nepal

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Administrator

GIZ World Trade Organization/Enhanced Integrated Framework – Support Programme is a project inclined towards supporting the Government of Nepal (GoN) in reaping the benefits of its WTO membership as well as the EIF.

In the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy, 2010, the Government of Nepal (GoN) prioritized 19 sectors. GIZ as the Donor Facilitator focused on two sectors, the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) and Silver Jewelry (SJ).

With the objective of showcasing the potential of the MAPs and Essential Oils of Nepal, this video documentary has been compiled.

Report

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Administrator

MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS
Poverty Impact Assessment (PIA) of proposed Trade Support Measures
in Nepal’s Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Sector

Single window for trade

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Administrator

Doing Business 2012 named Singapore and the Republic of Korea as one of the best performers in the Trading Across the Border index. Singapore stood first and Korea fourth out of 183 countries. Trading Across the Border is an index to gauge the trade facilitation level when goods move across borders. Nepal scored 162 in the index. Among the South Asian countries, Sri Lanka performed the best recording a rank of 53.

EU, India Trade Talks Make Progress Ahead of February Summit

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Administrator

Trade talks between Brussels and New Delhi, which were launched in 2007, are reportedly moving forward in advance of the upcoming India-EU Summit, scheduled for 10 February in New Delhi. While the pact is unlikely to be ready for signature by the February meet, both sides have confirmed that steady progress is being made toward concluding negotiations, possibly by year’s end.

Cabinet shuffles top bureaucrats

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Administrator

In a major reshuffle at the highest level of bureaucracy, a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday decided to transfer 19 government secretaries and regional administrators. This is the largest ever reshuffling carried out by the incumbent government.