Kathmandu: The Center for Social inclusion and Federalism in Collaboration with the Department of Political Science, Prithvi Narayan Camps, and Pokhra, Nepal organized a day-long seminar in Pokhra, December 10, 2022, on the topic “Chinese engagements and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Nepal.
Here is the invitation extended to the Telegraph Nepal to attend the Seminar to which we were unable to attend for some technical reasons.
However, the invitation letter contained some information on the topic of the seminar which is being published here for the larger interests of the readers both within and without. WE received the invitation through the kind courtesy of Professor Shri Than Bahadur Chetri , a political scientist associated with the Political science department of Pokhra Campus.
The venue of the seminar was Hotel Crown Plaza, Pokhra: Ed. Upadhyaya.
An overview:
China’s BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), to which Nepal became a signatory in 2017, is an ambitious infrastructure development project unveiled by the Chinese government in 2013 with the aim of connecting countries along the historic Silk Road. Nine different infrastructural projects of Nepal are agreed upon under the BRI agreement – however, these projects have been in limbo for quite a while now. Apart from BRI, the Chinese engagements have been massively increased in the later years with a visible geopolitical ramification in Nepal. While many perceive increased Chinese interest and assistance in infrastructure projects in Nepal as an opportune moment to fulfill Nepal’s agenda of prosperity, its critical implications in Nepal’s political economy cannot be undermined.
Chinese funded or projects implemented by Chinese entities in Nepal, more often than not, have faced issues of time and cost overrun among others. Among the large-scale China funded infrastructure projects in Nepal, Pokhara International Airport serves as a prime example of the same.
There exist increasing concerns on social, political, economic and environmental implications of Chinese engagements. However, further development in BRI is contingent upon China’s Nepal policy in Xi Jinping’s third term presidency and orientation and priorities of new government coming up in Nepal.
This necessitates a thorough discussion on prospects and challenges of BRI implementation in Nepal along with social, (geo) political, economic and environmental implications of Chinese engagements (including Chinese funded and contracted projects). In this regard, the Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) is organizing a Provincial Level Stakeholders’ discussion (seminar) in collaboration with Department of Political Science, Prithvi Narayan Campus on “Chinese Engagements and BRI in Nepal” on December 10, 2020 in Pokhara.
The objective:
Center for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) is currently carrying out research on prospects and Challenges of BRI implementation in Nepal and analysis of provisions of MoU on BRI between Nepal and China. This seminar aims to bring politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals, economists, infrastructural experts, businessmen, representatives of the tourism industry and journalists among others to share the initial findings of the research and discuss the challenges and opportunities of BRI at sub national level. It also aims to discuss the implications of Chinese funded or contracted projects and major issues in project governance.
In doing so, the provincial seminar aims to come up with policy recommendations to deal with Chinese engagements.
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