Minister Sharma urges international community to explore investment opportunities in Nepal’s IT sector

KATHMANDU, APRIL 21: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has urged the international community to confidently invest in the area of communications and information technology in Nepal. The Minister made this call during a meeting with representatives from IT industries from 17 nations in the Asia Pacific held today on the eve of the Nepal Investment Summit scheduled for April 28-29.

On the occasion, she said the government aims to promote foreign, domestic, and non-resident investors simultaneously through the Summit. According to the Minister, the process is underway to undertake legal and structural reforms for the same, according to the Spokesperson for the government. The government is committed to creating a secure and trustworthy investment atmosphere. “The Government of Nepal gives priority to the use of IT in its service delivery with the innovations in IT and this has led to the use of e-systems in the public administration,” she said.

The essence of the IT sector is significant to bring quality change in citizens’ lives by ensuring their wider and highest access to mass communications, telecommunications, and IT, she said, sharing about the government’s vision to build an IT-friendly nation. As she said, the Ministry is preparing to undertake some revisions to enhance the effectiveness of the implementation of the concept for the ‘digital Nepal framework’. The safe use of IT and building a ‘digital ecosystem’ are the priorities of the government and some preparatory works including the drafting of the IT and Cyber Security Bill, Social Sites Management, and Operation Bill have been intensified to implement such priorities, according to the Minister.

As she said, the understanding of the government is that proper management and utilization of skilled human resources with the use of IT will help achieve good governance and prosperity amid the global economic slowdown. Last year alone, Nepal exported software worth Rs 67 billion and the government in the budget for the fiscal year 2081-82 BS ( 2024-25) will accord due priority to the promotion of the IT sector.

She underlined the need to promote IT-based industries in Nepal-like landlocked countries to create jobs, promote exports, strengthen the economy and achieve development. The government is considering the implementation of the concept of an IT park and information hub to operate the IT industry through a single venue.