Minister Gyawali asks EU to lift ban on Nepali air crafts

Kathmandu, March 17. The government has asked European Union (EU) to consider removing its ban on the Nepali aircrafts from flying in its sky.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali urged for the same in a meeting with a high-ranking official from the EU here today.

The 28-nation bloc on December 5, 2013 had imposed a ban on all Nepali airlines from flying in its airspace owing to its weak air safety and security compliance with the EU standards.

The European Union Aviation Agency, releasing a press statement on December, 2018, said that it decided to continue with the ban on the Nepali aircrafts citing ‘lack of improvement’ in safety oversight by the country’s aviation regulatory body.

At a meeting held between Minister Gyawali and Paola Pampaloni, EU’s European External Actions Service (EEAS)’ Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the former assured the latter that Nepal had not made any compromises in any aspect of the aviation safety and was very sensitive about it.

Stating that EU was a reliable development partner to Nepal, the Minister urged the EU and the investors from its 28-member countries to consider investment in agriculture, energy and tourism sector of Nepal.

He also drew the attention of the European entrepreneurs towards the upcoming Investment Summit scheduled to be held on March 29 and 30 this year and encouraged them for participation.