QATAR, MAR 4: Qatar is expected to import high-quality mineral water from Nepal by 2019, according to professor Ramesh Prasad Koirala, Nepal’s ambassador to Qatar.
Koirala said negotiations are underway for the setting up of a bottling facility in Nepal. He noted that some private sector players in Qatar “are very interested in the project,” and are planning to visit the site in Nepal this August or September.
“We have a lot of mountains in the Himalayas and in those areas, we have the best mineral water, so we are also planning to export these resources,” Koirala told reporters on the sidelines of a business forum held recently.
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“Some businessmen from Nepal are already sourcing the mineral water from different areas. On the other hand, businessmen from Nepal will also be invited to visit Qatar for further meetings. We will also stage several B2B meetings in the future,” he continued.
Koirala said the project is part of several initiatives to increase trade exchange between Qatar and Nepal, including the export of organic fruits and vegetables to Qatar in support of the country’s food security efforts, and the holding trade visits from both sides.
“We plan to establish initiatives related to industrial sub-industry, raw materials that are in high demand in Nepal. Despite high transportation costs, we will manage,” the ambassador pointed out.
Koirala also said Nepal is hoping to establish the country’s first community school in Qatar by 2019. “We are already in talks with Qatari authorities for the school to address the educational needs of Nepali community in Qatar, which is the second biggest expatriate community in Qatar at 400,000,” the ambassador said.
Aside from the community school, Koirala said the embassy is planning to establish a Nepali Cultural House where local products will be displayed and will serve as a venue for the staging of various cultural programmes.
Also, Koirala said the government of Nepal is planning to build more institutions that would train workers bound for Qatar. These institutions will offer technical and skills training for Nepali semi-skilled workers, he said.
