PM Prachanda inaugurates Fourth Responsible Business Conference

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has reiterated the government’s commitment to prepare the legal and policy base required for making Nepal an attractive destination for investment.

Inaugurating the two-day Fourth Responsible Business Conference organized by the National Business Initiative in the federal capital today, he said the government has introduced several economic programmes for making the economy vibrant.

The PM on the occasion referred to his address to the Business Summit held recently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in which he had called for making Nepal an investment destination. He stressed the need of the entrepreneurs and all the stakeholders as well as the society to become responsible for making Nepal successful business-wise.

“Responsible business practices are beneficial not only from the moral and social point of view alone but also in terms of business strategy as well. Through responsible business practices the businesses can contribute towards sustainable development and create a positive impact in society,” he emphasized.

Stating that not only the private sector, the primary partner of the state, but all the state entities needed to be equally responsible, the Government urged for support from all sides in the steps the government has initiated for establishing good governance and corruption control.

He shared that he has been continuously making efforts to infuse hope by creating an investment-friendly climate in the country and to ease the existing stressors seen in the economy, stating an extensive interaction had been held amongst the government, the private sector and the economists only a few days back for reviving the economy.

“Some important declarations have also been made at the end of this interaction. I am confident that that interaction and the declaration will play a crucial role in bringing improvements in the economy,” PM Prachanda said.

Looking at statistics, the economy is getting improved. However, some hard work should be done to infuse hope in general people, he said. “So, I am at work to organise additional extensive meetings and make new announcements keeping the issue of economic improvement at the centre. I believe that there will be your active participation, important suggestions and the responsibility of implementation,” he said.

Informing that an extensive meeting was organised on Wednesday on the issue of governance improvement with the participation of the government’s sitting and former employees, he said important suggestions and guidance were received from the event.

The possibility of doing something new in the governance improvement would have its impact on the economy, he expressed the hope. Prime Minister Prachanda showed his expectation that discussions and received suggestions would help policy-making while entrepreneurs businesspersons and stakeholders are expected to benefit from working papers to be presented by experts in various sectors and discussions.

The programme is expected to bring the government, the private sector and leading agencies to the same forum and spread the message that all of them should be held responsible.

He also expressed the hope that the conference would prove an assistant in achieving the priority and goal of social justice, good governance and prosperity while addressing the economic pressure.

Similarly, the NBI President Kush Kumar Joshi pointed out that the state, businesspersons and stakeholders were held equally important for the responsible business. In the event, factors like new improvements and efforts being implemented in the issues of society, environment and economy in the world would be discussed. The slogan for the programme is ‘Obedience to the business code of conduct and responsible business’.

On the first day, issues like neo-slavery, human trafficking, renewal energy, startup business and entrepreneurship, business conduct and social responsibility and digital economy will be discussed.

Similarly, subjects like disaster risk reduction and business plan, business and human rights, business security and health and business-friendly environment will be discussed on the second day.