Image Building and Promotion of Nepal Abroad

1
Image Building and Promotion of Nepal Abroad

• Suresh Man Shrestha
• Officiating Secretary
• Ministry of Information Communications
• Singh Durbar, Kathmandu
• Presented at
• Second Global NRN Conference
• 08 October 2005

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Potential Use of NRN Channel in Disseminating
the Correct Image of Nepal

• vNepal being one of the most beautiful
  countries in the globe having the following
  distinctive features- is one of the top touristic
  destination
• 1. Interesting History
• 2. Rich in Cultural Diversity Biodiversity
• 3. Religious Harmony
• 4. Peculiar Geography
• 5. Land of Lord Buddha
• 6. Land of Gurkhas and Bravery in keeping peace
  in many needy countries
• 7. Community Forestry

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My experience sharing

• Ø    Almost countries in the world do not have
  those varying degrees of distinctive features
• Ø    Annecy in France fortunate being the two
  emerging giant economies of the world
• Social Procession on the Independence Day
  (Experience of US)
• European Style Commercial Elderly Home
• Japanese tourist to Juangfrau, Switzerland

4

• Use of Authorised Internet website of HMG Nepal
  and hooking up with the NRN website - positive
  image building of our country
• Cordial cooperation among various NRN bodies
  located in different countries
• Constitution of NRNs national committee,
  regional committee and urban committee
• All NRN are Good Will Ambassadors of Nepal
• Organization of Social Procession in NRN Day (11
  October) and Democracy Day (Falgun 7) with
  wearing Nepalese traditional costumes
• Positive image and and marketing of Nepal

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Work of Ministry (MOIC) to disseminate correct
information

• 1.     Department of Postal Services
• 2.     Department of Information
• 3.     Department of Printing
• 4.     Press Council Nepal
• 5.     Nepal Telecommunication Authority
• 6.  Radio Broadcasting Service Development
  Committee (Radio Nepal)
• 7. National News Committee (Rashtriya Samachar
  Samiti)
• 8.     Film Development Board
• 9.     Nepal Television Corporation
• 10.  Gorakhapatra Corporation
• 11. Nepal Doorsanchar Company Ltd. (Nepal
  Telecom)

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•   MOIC can help NRNs to develop their positive
  image through the Media- Print and electronic.
•   Can publicize the works of NRNs in the
  respective countries through the government as
  well as private sector media.
•   With that information dissemination HMG,
  Nepalese people in the country as well as NRNs
  could be benefited mutually.
•   Investment from the NRNs and their foreign
  friends can participate.
•   Nepal has the rights to enjoy the duty free
  market access for its products.
•   Objectives of Telecommunication Service to be
  provided (a) within shouting distance in rural
  inhabitant area (b) on demand service in urban
  area

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Liberalization of the Telecom Sector

•   Conditions of liberalizing telecom sectors
  while being the member of WTO
•   Multi operators (only Radio Spectrum limits
  the number) / Multi Services
•   Private sector participation ( Flow of
  information of reform to the private sector /
  Foreign investment up to 80 in the sector)
•   Open Licensing ( Simple, Transparent, Stable
  and non-discriminatory regulatory regime)
•   Technology Neutral (World Class Standard
  equipment )
• NTC Commercialization to Nepal Telecom
•  
•       Converted into company
• Decrease Government Share

8
Proper Institutional Arrangement

•       Policy- Ministry (MOIC)
•       Regulatory- NTA as an independent body
•       Implementation Competent Focal Point
•       Monitoring- Ministerial Level Committee

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Possible Investment areas in the Information and
Communication Sectors

• Ø  NRN can invest in the following sectors
• Postal sector Courier,
• Money order
• 2. Printing
• Standard and professional printing house
• Security Printing
• 3. Telecommunication
•  10 of population, i.e. 2.5 million
  PSTN/Mobile is needed. Only one third of the
  demand fulfilled. Total telephone penetration
  rate in Nepal is around 3.07 (2 in fixed line
  (PSTN) and 1.07 in mobile) as of July15, 2005.

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• Nepal Telecom, UTL, Spice Nepal and STM Telecom
  Sanchar providing the various services.
• Remote area telecommunication development
• Internet services in the emerging town areas
• Mobile telephone services
• 4. Broadcasting sector
• Television and FM Radio
• Film making of international standard

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Other Areas of Investment

• Schools, Colleges and University,
• Hospitals,
• European Style Commercial Elderly Home
• Cable Car
• Various tourism related sectors
• Totally exportable industry with duty free
• Hydropower
• Agro-forestry industry
• ICT as a key priority area for future investment

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Telecommunication services as of July 2005    

• Basic Telecom Operators- 2,
• Cellular Mobile Operator-2,
  
• Rural Telecom Operator- 1,
  
• Fax Mail Operators -3,
• VSAT Network Service Provider- 9,
• GMPCS Service Provider -2,
  
• Radio Paging Service Provider-1,
• Video Conferencing Service-1, and
  
• Local Data Network Service Provider-1

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• Ø HMG/N has considered ICT as a key priority area
• Ø HMG/N has initiated the involvement of the
  private sector in the development of the
  telecommunication services since December 1995.
• Ø ICT friendly Telecommunication Policy has been
  promulgated
• Ø Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) was
  established as an autonomous regulatory body in
  1998.
• Ø HMG/N established a High Level Commission on
  Information Technology (HLCIT) as an apex body
  under the chairmanship of Rt. Hon. Prime Minister
  of Nepal in 2003.

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• Ø First private company United Telecom Limited
  (UTL) started its own International Gateway from
  April 2004 and is providing its telecom service
  in Kathmandu Valley. Total subscriber of WLL
  telephone service was 31000 as of 15 July, 2005.
• Ø STM Telecom Sanchar Pvt. Ltd. is also going to
  provide rural telephone services in the Eastern
  region by establishing 197 PCOs.
• Ø Spice Nepal Private Limited (SNPL), a joint
  venture company of Kazakhstan and Nepal, has
  launched its mobile services from September 17,
  2005.
• Ø IT related professionals have formed an
  association named Computer Association of Nepal
  (CAN) in the private sector to help promote ICT .

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• Ø The construction of infrastructure of IT Park
  is completed and is in the stage of operation
  with the active participation of the private
  sectors.
• Ø HMG/N has brought out Telecommunications
  Policy, 2004 A.D. with the consideration of the
  rapid development in the telecom sector.
• Ø Electronic Transactions Act 2004 and Electronic
  Transactions Regulation 2004 have been enacted
• Ø Institutions mechanism for regulating the use
  of ICT is in place with the coordination of MOIC,
  MOEST, and HLCIT.
• Ø Nepal Telecommunication Act is in the process
  of Amendment.
• Ø Price in telephone services have been curtailed
  with the effective from 17 May 2005 (World
  Telecom Day) in order to make the people more
  involved to the ICT sectors.

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Problems faced by the government in disseminating
the correct information

• Problems Encountered in ICT Application Issues
• 1. High Govt. Taxes on Telecom services 15
  Service Charge, 13 VAT makeup around altogether
  31.5 extra charge on made calls.
• 2. Telephone in Rural areas could not be
  increased as planned.
• 3. Non-compatibility of various changing
  technologies in ICTs with the older ones.
• 4. Not been able to migrate faster to 3
  Generation. Migrated from 2nd Generation to 2.5
  Generation.
• 5. Relatively slow speed in Internet surfing.
• 6. Lack of broadband accesses sufficiently.

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• 7. Payment problems due to the
  non-convertibility of Nepalese Rupee in foreign
  currency exchange the intended people cannot
  utilize the internet services for having better
  information.
• 8. Lapses in Standardization of Training and
  academic courses of ICT education.
•  9. Lack of sufficient public awareness
  campaigning on publicizing of ICT development as
  an essential issues and it is not a luxurious
  thing