MoU between NPC and NPI in the offing
Kathmandu / June 1: National Planning Commission (NPC) and Nepal Policy Institute (NPI) are likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in development planning and formation of policies.
As a follow-up event of a previous meeting between NPI and NPC, in the process of developing approach paper of 15th Periodic Plan and 25-year long term vision of Nepal, a programme was organised in Bangkok by NPI in coordination with Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Thailand.
Participants at the programme organised in Bangkok by NPI in coordination with Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Thailand. Photo: NPI
Diaspora professionals, experts, academics, entrepreneurs and NRN leaders had an interaction with the NPC team to identify the role of diaspora in transforming development planning and policies of Nepal.
Addressing the programme, NPC member Min Bahadur Shahi proposed for a comprehensive MoU between NPC and NPI to take the collaboration to a new height. Shahi informed that several of NPI’s recommendations on the 15th periodic plan and long-term vision have been incorporated in the approach paper published by NPC. The published book detailing the finalised approach was handed by the NPC team to NPI Chair during the programme.
During the event, NPI Chair Khagendra Dhakal presented the recommendations in important areas including foreign direct investment (FDI), poverty eradication, environment protection, human capital development, and economic diplomacy. He also assured that NPI would offer innovative perspectives which would be beyond the ones NPC can get from regular consultancies and the peer-reviewed journals/proceedings of academic conferences.
Speaking at the same programme, NPC Joint Secretary Toya Nath Gyawali presented social security, FDI, economic diplomacy, and risk mitigation schemes which will be the major areas of engagement between NPC with NPI. He also said that since NPI experts understand the context of Nepal better, NPI’s policy recommendations were more realistic than those from other international entities.
A group of Nepali scholars from King Mongkut’s University of Technology, North Bangkok also presented youth perspectives in planning and policy reform in Nepal.
NPI is an autonomous global think-tank promoted by NRNA Global. The concept of NPI was conceived through ‘NRNA Vision 2020 and Beyond’ which was endorsed by NRNA International General Assembly on October 2017. NPI came into operation in the public sphere since October 2018 unveiling its founding strategic plan at the 1st NRN Global Knowledge Conference held in Kathmandu.