The Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) has organized the second edition of its Policy Conclave 2024 themed “Nepal Vision 2100”, addressing Nepal’s critical structural challenges and exploring actionable solutions on Friday in the capital.
Speaking at the program, Bal Krishna Joshi, founder of Xuno, underscored Nepal’s potential to transition from labour export to service export, particularly in the IT and fintech sectors. He stressed on the need for policy reforms and educational alignment with global standards to harness this potential. “We need to leverage the contributions of the Nepali diaspora and climate finance while advocating for clear governance and balanced policies to foster innovation and inclusivity,” he remarked.
IIDS chairman and member of parliament Dr Swarnim Waglé called for pragmatic strategies that align growth with global economic trends, underscoring high-value agriculture, trade liberalization, and diversified tourism, including medical and dental tourism. He advocated for institutional reforms, FDI liberalization, and addressing elite policy capture to unlock Nepal’s potential.
Dr Shiva Raj Adhikari, vice-chair of the National Planning Commission, advocated for a paradigm shift in development planning by linking resource allocation to municipality rankings and development indices. He underlined the need for technically sound decisions and realistic growth targets. He also highlighted coordinated governance and equitable resource allocation as critical for achieving sustainable progress for Nepal.
The event brought policymakers, scholars, and key stakeholders to a single platform to engage in discussions on long-term strategies for economic transformation and national growth. The event concluded with an appeal to focus on transforming Nepal into a knowledge economy.
