Abu Dhabi, July 11, 2025 — An impactful interaction program was held at the Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi, bringing together leading members of the Nepalese business community, representatives of NRNA, travel entrepreneurs, and professionals from across the UAE to discuss the way forward in enhancing Trade, Investment, and Tourism between Nepal and the UAE.
Hosted by His Excellency Mr. Tej Bahadur Chhetri, Ambassador of Nepal to the UAE, the session provided a rare and much-needed platform for Nepalese stakeholders in the UAE to express their concerns, share constructive feedback, and propose collaborative solutions for mutual economic benefit.
११ जुलाई २०२५ का दिन अबुधाबीस्थित नेपाली दूतावासमा आयोजना गरिएको “नेपाल–यूएई व्यापार, लगानी तथा पर्यटन सम्बन्धी अन्तरक्रिया कार्यक्रम”मा नेपालका राजदूत महामहिम तेजबहादुर क्षेत्रीको पहलमा यूएईमा स्थापित नेपाली व्यवसायी, एनआरएनए प्रतिनिधि, ट्राभल कम्पनीहरू तथा समुदायका अग्रणी व्यक्तिहरूको उल्लेखनीय सहभागिता रह्यो। सहभागीहरूले नेपाल भ्रमण गर्न चाहने व्यक्तिहरूका लागि उचित प्याकेजहरूको अभाव, वैदेशिक लगानी (FDI) सम्बन्धी जानकारीको कमी, र नेपालबाट सामान आयात–निर्यात गर्दा भोग्नुपर्ने व्यवहारिक चुनौतीहरूबारे स्पष्ट रूपमा उठान गरे। साथै, नेपाल एयरलाइन्स र हिमालयन एयरलाइन्सले प्रतिस्पर्धात्मक कार्गो सेवा उपलब्ध गराई व्यापार प्रवर्द्धनमा सहजीकरण गर्नुपर्ने कुरामा जोड दिइयो। नेपालका उत्पादनहरू यूएईका सुपरमार्केटहरूमा पुर्याउन सकिने सम्भावनाको चर्चा गर्दै लुलु ग्रुपको पहलको सराहना पनि गरियो। दूतावासकी काउन्सिलर तथा DCM रञ्जिता दाहालले एउटा संक्षिप्त प्रस्तुति दिँदै एनआरएन लगानी जम्मा २% मा सीमित रहेको तथ्य सार्वजनिक गर्नुभयो र सहकार्य र विश्वासबाट यो प्रतिशत उल्लेखनीय रूपमा बढाउन सकिने धारणा व्यक्त गर्नुभयो। कार्यक्रमको सञ्चालन प्रथम सचिव तिलबहादुर सुनारले गर्नुभयो। एनआरएनए यूएईका अध्यक्ष बिकाश शाहीले संस्थागत रूपमा तथा व्यक्तिगत रूपमा नेपालप्रति सधैं सकारात्मक भूमिका खेल्ने प्रतिबद्धता जनाउनुभयो। राजदूत क्षेत्रीले सहभागीहरूका विचारहरूलाई गहिरो धन्यवाद दिँदै तिनीहरूलाई सम्बन्धित निकाय तथा सम्भावित लगानीकर्तासँग छलफल गरिने प्रतिबद्धता जनाउनुभयो र सकारात्मक सोचका साथ अगाडि बढ्न सम्पूर्ण नेपाली समुदायलाई प्रेरणा दिनुभयो। कार्यक्रमलाई Nepalese in UAE ले TikTok र Facebook मार्फत प्रत्यक्ष प्रशारण गरेको थियो, जसले हजारौं नेपालीहरूलाई देशविदेशबाट प्रत्यक्ष अवलोकन गर्न सघायो।
Key Issues Raised by the Community
Lack of Tourism Packages: Several speakers pointed out that Nepal currently lacks well-designed tourism packages specifically curated for UAE-based travelers. This gap limits Nepal’s visibility as a convenient travel destination despite its immense natural and cultural appeal.
FDI Awareness: Community leaders noted a severe lack of awareness regarding Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) opportunities in Nepal. Many expressed interest in investing back home but cited unclear procedures and lack of facilitation as barriers.
Import–Export Barriers: Entrepreneurs highlighted ongoing struggles in importing and exporting goods to and from Nepal. Bureaucratic red tape and inconsistent logistics make trade costly and uncompetitive.
Role of National Carriers: It was strongly emphasized that Nepal Airlines and Himalayan Airlines must step up and play a vital role in facilitating trade by offering competitive air cargo rates. This would greatly boost the export of Nepalese goods to the UAE and beyond.
Potential in UAE Supermarkets: Attendees appreciated the LULU Group for taking initiative in bringing Nepalese products to the UAE market and stressed that more such partnerships should be encouraged.
Ambassador’s Response and Encouragement
Ambassador H.E. Mr. Tej Bahadur Chhetri thanked all participants for their sincere feedback and assured the gathering that the insights and suggestions would be taken seriously and discussed with relevant authorities and potential investors.
“Let’s keep our mindset positive and united for the betterment of our entire community,” he said in his closing remarks.
Presentation & Commitments
A brief yet insightful presentation was delivered by Ms. Ranjita Dahal, Counsellor/DCM, who highlighted that despite the large presence of NRNs, only 2% of investment in Nepal is from the NRN community. She emphasized that this number can significantly increase through collaboration, trust, and systematic support.
The session was skillfully moderated by Mr. Til Bahadur Sunar, First Secretary at the Embassy.
Mr. Gajendra Sharma, Cluster General Manager at Hilton, emphasized the need for greater visibility of Nepalese culture, tradition, and talents on the international stage. Speaking at the interaction program, he highlighted that while the Nepalese community possesses immense potential, it has yet to be effectively showcased to the global audience. He stressed that along with promoting tourism, cultural diplomacy should also be prioritized, ensuring that Nepal’s rich heritage—its art, crafts, language, and traditions—finds a rightful place in markets like the UAE. Mr. Sharma underscored the importance of collaboration between the community, business leaders, and relevant authorities to achieve this goal.
Words from NRNA Leadership
NRNA UAE President Mr. Bikash Shahi reaffirmed his commitment to the development of Nepal, both as an organization leader and a businessperson.
“We will always take the necessary steps for the betterment of Nepal and its people, wherever we are,” he stated.
The event was also attended by notable community leaders including Mr. Manoj Marahatta, representing Dubai Nepalese Influential Group (DNIG), and Mr. Ram Moktan, representing Nepali Samaj UAE. Their presence added further value to the dialogue, reflecting the active involvement of key Nepalese organizations in the UAE. Both leaders expressed their support for strengthening the Nepal–UAE relationship through collaborative efforts in areas such as cultural promotion, community empowerment, and economic development.
Nepalese in UAE Livestreamed the Event
The event was livestreamed by Nepalese in UAE on its official TikTok and Facebook platforms, allowing thousands of Nepali viewers across the world to witness the discussions in real-time.
