Nepal, China Pledge Closer Environmental and Forestry Cooperation

Nepal’s Minister for Forests and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, is currently visiting China. During his visit, he had a meeting with Liu Guohong, who leads China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Minister Shahi spoke about the strong and friendly relationship between Nepal and China. He called China a close friend, a development partner and a valued neighbor. He said that regular high-level meetings between the two countries have helped to make their relationship even stronger.

In the meeting, Minister Shahi suggested working together more closely in several areas, such as reducing conflicts between humans and wild animals, restoring damaged ecosystems, reducing risks from natural disasters, improving dry and desert lands, and improving the quality of bamboo and rattan plants.

He also asked for China’s technical help in timber processing, making bamboo and rattan products, and wildlife farming.

Minister Shahi shared that Nepal is almost ready to send two one-horned rhinoceroses to China.

The meeting took place during the 13th Council Meeting of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), being held in Beijing. Minister Shahi is attending the event as the chair of this year’s council, with Nepal leading the organization at the moment.

While speaking at the event, Minister Shahi confirmed Nepal’s full support for INBAR’s goals and decisions. He also said that Nepal wants to work closely with other member countries to find new ways to cooperate.

INBAR, set up in 1997, is an international organization that encourages the use of bamboo and rattan to support sustainable development, protect the environment, and help reduce poverty.