Submit your Article

Foreign employment professionals have demanded that the government take initiatives to lift the ban on sending Nepali workers to the UK on seasonal visas.

In an event held on Wednesday, they said that the government should make efforts to lift the UK-imposed ban on taking seasonal visa workers from Nepal to the agricultural sector after 2022. 

Chris Roebuck, a consultant at GoFund International Limited, the organizer of the program, said Nepali workers are losing opportunities. "There is a lot of demand in agriculture for migrant workers on seasonal visas in the UK," he said, "but Nepal is deprived of that opportunity." According to him, the UK is bringing in 45,000 migrant workers annually. But as the UK has stopped taking Nepali workers, Nepal has lost this opportunity.

The UK stopped taking workers from Nepal from 2023, citing reasons such as workers being cheated by manpower companies while sending them through seasonal visas from Nepal, and the illegal stay after visa expiry. A total of 3,600 Nepali workers went to the UK on seasonal visas in 2022. 

But now, Roebuck said, the Nepal government should initiate efforts to lift the ban on seasonal workers from Nepal. "Until 2029, the UK will take workers on this visa," he said: If the current situation continues, Nepali workers will miss out on this opportunity. The government of Nepal should take the initiative in this matter.

Other participants at the program, including representatives of the business community, also expressed concern that Nepali workers will continue to be deprived of opportunities if the government of Nepal does not work with the UK government to send seasonal workers.

The weather has remained generally to completely cloudy at most of the parts of the country today.

Due to monsoon winds active across the country, light to moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning is taking place across the country, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

The sky across the country will be generally to completely cloudy this afternoon. Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely at many places of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces.

Similarly, some places of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces as well as a few places of Sudurpaschim and Karnali Provinces will witness heavy rainfall.

There is a possibility of very heavy rain at one or two places of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini provinces as well as possibility of storm in some places of Tarai, added the Department.

Tonight, the weather will continue to remain generally to completely cloudy over the country with a possibility of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning at many places of Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces and some places at rest of the provinces.

Very heavy rain is likely at some places in Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces and one or two places at rest of the provinces. There is a possibility of a storm in some places of Tarai.

The Department has predicted the possibility of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning at many places in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces and some places at rest of the provinces in the next 24 hours. There is also a possibility of a storm at some places in Tarai.

Pointing out the possibility of very heavy rain in one or two places in Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces, the Department warned of the risk of floods, landslides and inundation, and hence has requested all concerned to remain vigilant.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said as the largest contributor of troops and police to UN Peace operations, Nepal is ready to further enhance its contribution to global peace and security.

Addressing the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Minister Oli called on the international community to march ahead without comprising the prosperity and happiness of future generations.

Explaining about Nepal's efforts for the establishment of peace after the armed conflict, he said that the Parliament passed the Transitional Justice Bill to settle transitional justice issues once and for all.

PM Oli shared, "The incumbent government, formed by the collaboration of two major political parties, is determined to secure stability while driving economic transformation for the inclusive and equitable prosperity to our people."

"We have been conducting our foreign policy with profound belief in ‘Amity with All, Enmity with None. Nepal is committed to further strengthening its close, cordial, and constructive relations with its immediate neighbors and beyond, rooted in the principles of mutual respect, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, and peaceful co-existence", added the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Oli stressed the need of resolving the Israel- Palestine conflict through peaceful dialogue.

"Nepal will be graduating from its LDC status by 2026 and we are diligently working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. But there is a financial gap of about 24 billion US dollars to attain the 2030 Agenda, he opined.

First Lady Radhika Shakya, Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba, Prime Minister's Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Lok Bahadur Thapa and other members are the in PM's official delegation.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stressed on promoting natural health care approaches to prevent infections and reduce the need for antibiotics, thereby supporting the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

PM Oli was addressing the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as part of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

The theme of the AMR session was - “Investing in the present and securing our future together: accelerating multi-sectoral global, regional and national actions to address antimicrobial resistance.”

Stating that Antimicrobial Resistance has emerged as a critical global public health issue, the PM said Nepal has placed AMR as a top public health priority, recognizing the importance of a ‘One Health’ approach.

"As part of our commitment to fighting AMR, Nepal’s National Health Policy of 2019 has also prioritized AMR as a major public health issue, underlining the need to regulate and control antibiotic use effectively," he said, adding that Nepal has formulated a National Action Plan on AMR and introduced National Antibiotics Treatment Guidelines to provide clear direction.

However, national efforts alone are insufficient to combat threats posed by AMR, the PM said and Nepal, therefore, calls for a robust collaborative global response.

He said, "First, we must adequately invest in health infrastructures, research, and development. Second, we must advance sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming, which promote healthy lifestyles and secure food safety, while simultaneously protecting our environment. Third, there is an urgent need for robust regulatory frameworks and surveillance systems to monitor the use of antimicrobials across sectors. Fourth, stronger international collaboration is essential for the development of new antibiotics, alternative treatments, and innovative solutions."

Noting that Nepal has developed a vision of ‘Nirogi Nepal – Healthy Nepal’ to promote overall health of Nepali people, PM Oli on the occasion asserted that our efforts are directed to minimize the use of antibiotics and foster a healthier, more sustainable future. "Let us work together to safeguard the future of people and planet, leaving no one behind," PM Oli exhorted.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba and the United Nations Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-Women, Sima Sami Iskandar Bahous, held a meeting in New York on Thursday.

During the meeting, Minister Rana lauded the UN-Women for the works it has been carrying out in the women empowerment field.

She said that Nepal is always eager to work together with UN-Women for gender equality.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly Philemen Yang held a meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday.

PM Oli is currently in New York leading the Nepali delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli extended an invitation to the UNGA President to visit Nepal.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba, PM's principal political advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal and Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal among others were present during the meeting.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is in New York to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly, held separate meetings with the leaders of Qatar, Pakistan and Laos on Thursday.

The meeting with the Qatar Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, was held at the office of Qatar's Permanent Mission to the UN. Principal political advisor to PM Oli, Bishnu Prasad Rimal and Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, among other officials were present in this meeting.

Similarly, PM Oli and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting at the UN Headquarters on Thursday.  PM's advisor Rimal and Nepal's Permanent Representative to the UN, Lok Bahadur Thapa were present in the meeting.

Likewise, Prime Minister Oli and Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone, had a meeting at the UN Headquarters. PM's principal political advisor Rimal, Nepal's permanent representative to the UN, Lok Bahadur Thapa among other officials were present during the meeting.

Nepal Bar Association has objected to what it called “efforts to appoint judges unconstitutionally”.

According to the Bar, the Judicial Council under Chief Justice Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha has decided to convene a meeting for recommending candidates to be appointed as judges barely a week before his retirement, in contravention of Article 141, (1) and (3) of the Constitution of Nepal.

Earlier too, after the Bar staged a sit-in during a Judicial Council meeting, a working group was formed to address the Bar’s concerns, to no avail. Bar President Gopal Krishna Ghimire said they have no other option than staging protests, including sit-ins, if the Judicial Council recommends candidates for judgeship in violation of the Constitution. 

Chairman Ghimire said, "Nepal Bar Association has spoken for a year against the regulations of the Judicial Council, which contradict Articles 141 (1) and (3) of the Constitution. As the Judicial Council did not heed our objections even in the course of a year, we organized a protest, a meeting to warn the council, coinciding with its meeting.”

He added, "If the Judicial Council continues with the ‘unconstitutional appointment process’ by ignoring our objections, we will convene a working committee meeting of the Bar and announce a series of protests. This includes boycotting judges appointed unconstitutionally. We have postponed today's program, but will continue our protests tomorrow.”

The Bar has announced a protest on the Supreme Court premises after 1:00 pm on Sept 26 (Thursday) against the ‘unconstitutional move’ of the Judicial Council.