By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 22: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has stressed on close cooperation among the members of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) and partnership with private businesses to fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is needed to bring all aspects of lives, livelihoods, and economies to normalcy, including the tourism sector. There is an urgent need to ensure easy and affordable access to vaccines and other essential medical items to this end,” he said while addressing the 17th Ministerial Meeting of ACD held virtually on Thursday under the theme ‘The new normal and safe and healthy tourism’.
Stating that the top priority of the Government of Nepal is to protect people’s lives from the disease and hunger, the Foreign Minister said that Nepal had scrupulously been executing safety, health and sanitation protocols in all tourism related activities focusing to save jobs and keep the economy afloat.
“Development and improvement of quality infrastructures is a key to build all modes of connectivity in the ACD region, narrow the development gap, and achieve equitable and inclusive growth, especially for a landlocked country like Nepal,” he said according to a
statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Gyawali emphasised the need for enhancing cooperation and collaboration for mitigation and adaption of the adverse impacts of climate change and natural disasters.