The concluding session of the three-day event focused on ways to jointly deal with the challenges of the region. The stakeholders from all the countries in the region stressed that bonding South Asia through a single currency much like the Euro zone, and ending visa restriction within the region. [break]
The idea strongly raised by Rajeev Pahadi, General Secretary of Youth Federation Nepal, was seconded by most of the participants. The speakers on Saturday included youth leaders from all eight political parties of Nepal as well as leaders from all other seven countries. Former finance ministers and entrepreneurs from Nepal also addressed the closing session.
Talking on the theme “cross-border learning on political economy”, youth politicians said that young entrepreneurs and politicians should join hands in order to eliminate the poverty and unemployment of the region.
The leaders also highlighted the importance of youth participation in upcoming Constituent Assembly election in Nepal for the economic development of the country.
Udaya Sumsher Rana, president of Nepal Tarun Dal, stressed on the importance of focusing on tourism, water resources, infrastructure development, the commercialization of agriculture, and the development of human resources.
Citing the example of the rapid economic development in South East Asia, Ram Sharan Mahat, a former finance minister, said that South East Asia has developed rapidly mainly because the region focused on economic growth while South Asia has been lagging behind because the region focused mainly on politics.
Similarly, Surendra Pandey, a former finance minister, highlighted the need of inter-market exploration within the region as South Asia has been emerging as a center of global economy.
Alf Arne Ramslien, Norwegian ambassador to Nepal, opined that joint ventures hold the key to uplift of the region. “Young entrepreneurs of the region should not follow in the footprint of the older generation but must come up with something innovative and target-oriented so that the region can prosper,” said Ramslien.
Ajay Bhakta Pradhananga, past president of Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs´ Forum (NYEF) that organized the event, said that the summit organized for the first time in Nepal has been successful in creating network among the youth entrepreneurs and politicians of the region for bringing economic agenda in the forefront.
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