Accreditation must for trade promotion: Experts

KATHMANDU, Jan 21: The second meeting of SAARC Expert Group on Accreditation (SEGA) kicked off in Dhulikhel on Monday.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Industry Minister Shankar Prasad Koirala said SAARC countries should develop trade infrastructures at national, regional and international levels to reap benefits from trade with other countries.

Koirala also underlined the need to promote good products and practices through accreditation at a time when negative issues on health, security, environment and trade is affecting international trade of SAARC member countries.

“Trade accreditations will increase productivity of agriculture, industry and service sector and promote trade among SAARC countries,” added Koirala.
The volume of trade among SAARC countries stands at mere 3 percent of global trade.

“As trade among SAARC countries is very low, accreditation experts need to work to remove all technical difficulties related to trade and create favorable environment ,” said Koirala.
Commerce Secretary Madhav Prasad Regmi, Ram Adhar Sah, director general of Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology, and L Savithri, director of SAARC Secretariat also put their views on the importance of accreditation in trade promotion.

A total of 23 experts on accreditation from SAARC countries are attending the meeting which concluded on Tuesday.

(Source: REPUBLICA)