April 28: Stakeholders and experts familiar with the country's business environment and profitability have appealed to domestic and international investors to invest in Nepal with full confidence while urging them not to worry about the returns of their investment.    
Speakers of the first session of the Nepal Investment Summit that started in Kathmandu on Sunday said so while inviting the investors and argued that Nepal has created an investment-friendly environment.    
Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun, who chaired the plenary session titled Exploring Investment Opportunities in Nepal, urged the investors to consider the government's commitment to the legal reforms made through the ordinance issued recently.    
He shared that intensive discussions were held with the private sector and the laws were amended based on the recommendations from the private sector.    
Finance Minister Pun also said the government is making tax-related laws more investment-friendly. Nepal is situated between the two giant and rising economic powers China and India, which have given a great opportunity for domestic and international investments.    
On the occasion, former Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said that Nepal has made sectoral priorities to bring in foreign investment concluding that “our internal sources were not sufficient” for Nepal's development and prosperity.    
Likewise, economist and lawmaker Dr Swornim Wagle said a flexible legal environment was needed to facilitate investors in Nepal along with an effective mechanism in place for arbitration in case of some disputes.    
Also speaking on the occasion, UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said Nepal could explore new blended finance approaches that can crowd in the private sector, multiply development impact and create opportunities for the public sector to share risks and rewards fairly.    
She said that as Nepal is preparing for LDC graduation in 2026, the UN will continue to work with the Government of Nepal and agencies to help increase the flow of sustainable investments. "We will continue to support the development of a strong business ecosystem with a vision for a sustainable, inclusive and green economy," she added. -- RSS