Minister Dr Rana wants foreign investment in Sudurpaschim Province

Kathmandu, Aug 29: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, has urged foreign businesspersons to invest in Nepal’s Sudurpaschim Province, highlighting its potential in natural resources, and heritage.

In a meeting organised at the Ministry as part of the preparation for the ‘Sudurpaschim Investment and Development Conference’ taking place in Dhangadhi on November 17-18, she described the province as rich in natural beauty and a gateway to Nepal’s prosperity. The meeting was held on Friday.

Dr Rana noted that the province holds vast potential in hydropower and renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, cross-border trade, urban infrastructure, information technology and digital infrastructure, mining and natural resource-based industries. “I call on domestic and foreign investors to invest here,” she reiterated.

Despite being rich in water resources, fertile land and rivers, dense forests, unique biodiversity and cultural heritage, she rued that the province has long been a backwater for lack of proper utilisation of these assets. “It is encouraging that Sudurpaschim government is organising an investment conference to show the province’s vast potential and attract foreign investors,” she shared.

She, however, recalled that significant development activities, including road networks connecting the province with Kathmandu, the federal capital, took place in the past, particularly under the leadership of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. On the development side, she said that the current government has amended the necessary laws to create an investment-friendly environment in Nepal.

Dr Rana further stressed that with the adoption of federalism, provinces like Sudurpaschim should take ownership of exploring their potential and advancing development models instead of depending solely on the federal government for assistances.