Muscat: A delegation of high-ranking officials from Nepal came to Oman on a three-day visit recently to explore business opportunities between the two countries. It also discussed welfare of Nepali workers in the Sultanate.
The representatives were from the Industry and Commerce and Labour and Consumer Protection Committee of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament, and they were accompanied by the Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal (NHRC).
The Chairperson of the Parliamentarian Committee Bimal Prasad Srivastav led the delegation. Other members of the delegation included five members of the Industry and Commerce, and Labour and Consumer Protection Committee (ICLCPC): Bhim Sen Das Pradhan, Gopal Bahadur Bam, Durga Kumari Biswokarma, Pramod Shah, and Surya Narayan Yadav. Shiva Data Baral, the Undersecretary of the ICLCPC, was also part of the team.
In addition, Sudip Pathak and Ravi Lal Nepali of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, and Keshav Raj Subedi, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, also travelled to Oman. The delegation first took part in a session at the Embassy of Nepal in Oman, where they met with domestic and general Nepali workers.
Describing the various meetings and discussions they had in the Sultanate, a statement from the Embassy of Nepal said, “On the morning of March 1, the members had a bilateral meeting with Hamad bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Amry, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Manpower of Oman. During the meeting, the delegation learned about the current practice of the labour law in Oman and about the obedient, hardworking nature of Nepali workers. They also inquired about the condition of domestic workers in relation to their safety and security.
Later, the members of the parliamentary committee paid a courtesy call to the Chairman of the Majlis Al Shura, Khalid bin Hilal Al Maawali, and the Chairman of the State Council, Dr Yahya Bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, separately.
During the meeting, practices of parliamentary affairs were exchanged. The head of the Nepali delegation extended messages of the Speaker of the Lower House and Chairperson of the Upper of the House of the Federal Parliament of Nepal to their respective counterparts.
“The members of the parliamentary committee paid a courtesy call to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman, Khalifa bin Ali Al Harthy, at the latter’s office. During the meeting, issues of bilateral cooperation and potential areas of further collaboration, especially in terms of trade and investment were discussed,” added the embassy statement.