KATHMANDU – Nepal has been elected as the Chair for the 13th Council Session (2023-2025) unanimously in the 12th INBAR Council Meeting held on Tuesday at the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) Headquarters in Beijing, China, the Embassy of Nepal, Beijing, said.
On the occasion, Yam Prasad Pokharel, Director General at the Forest Research and Training Centre, Ministry of Forests and Environment, expressed happiness over confidence and goodwill that the Member States have placed on Nepal. While admiring the efficient steering of the Council by Cameroon for the past three years, he anticipated similar support from the member countries for the effective leadership of Nepal as well.
In his statement, Pokharel congratulated Chad and Democratic Republic of Congo as new members of INBAR and Panama on their election as the Vice-Chair.
Appreciating the contribution of INBAR in furthering international cooperation, knowledge-sharing, South-South and trilateral cooperation, Nepal expressed its willingness to work with all Member States in promoting bamboo usages and replacing plastics with bamboo as promising and noble endeavour.
Pokharel informed about the initiatives of Nepal including the draft Bamboo and Rattan Strategic Plan, a first national roadmap, plantation of 10 million bamboo in the Chure region under the President Chure-Tarai Madhes Conservation Board and assessment of financial resources related bamboo and rattan.
He further introduced key projects namely Disaster Resilient Housing Nepal, Market Development of Bamboo and Rattan Products with Potential (MDBRPP) launched with the support of INBAR in Nepal. The country would be able to capitalize on the bamboo sector with the development assistance, technology transfer and capacity development from the bilateral and multilateral development partners, he added.
As a founding member and now as the Chair, Nepal forever stands toe to toe in helping the INBAR achieve its mission, goals and priorities in order to save the planet for the future generations, he concluded.
