KATHMANDU: Today, the government of Nepal, through the Ministry of Finance, and the government of Switzerland, through the Embassy of Switzerland in Kathmandu, signed an agreement for the implementation of the project “Reintegration of Returnee Migrant Workers (Remi) utilizing the Swiss Franc 6.8 million (equivalent to Rs. 861.3 million).
The objective of the project is to help workers returning from foreign employmentreestablish themselves in Nepal and actively participate in social, cultural, economic, and political life. The project aims at strengthening their capacity to define their plan of reintegration and utilization of knowledge, skills, capital, know-how, and experiences achieved through employment abroad. The project will be implemented at 20 local levels in two provinces, Province 1 and Madhesh Province for four years starting from July 2022. The amount of assistance will be recorded in the GON Red Book and implemented atthe local level.
Mr. Ishwori Prasad Aryal, Joint Secretary and Head of International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division (IECCD), Ministry of Finance, and Ms.Silvana Hogg,Chargéed’affaires ad interim, the Embassy of Switzerland, signed and exchanged the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.
Delivering a short remark following the signing ceremony, Mr. Aryal outlined that the implementation of this project is crucial for reestablishing the returnee’s migrants into the society and defining their plan of reintegration into social, political, and economic life. It also helps to utilize the knowledge, capital, know-how, and experience achieved through foreign employment in Nepal’s socio-economic development. Mr. Aryal also overviewed the development cooperation account concluded through Swiss assistance in Nepal.
Similarly, Ms. Hogg noted that there is a huge potential to link migration withdevelopment. Switzerlandhasgathered rich experiences in the field of migration in Nepal through its decade-long engagement in this sector. Switzerland is committed to supporting Nepal in implementing its policies and plans to benefit migrant workers. The ReMi project will work with different spheres of government, private actors, networks, and migrant workers to increase the social and economic benefit for returnee migrant workers.