KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Minister for Forests and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, currently on an official visit to China, held a bilateral meeting with Liu Guohong, Administrator of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
According to the minister’s secretariat, Minister Shahi highlighted the long-standing and friendly relations between Nepal and China, describing China as a close friend, development partner, and valued neighbor.
He noted that regular high-level exchanges between the two countries have helped deepen and strengthen these ties.
During the meeting, Minister Shahi proposed enhanced cooperation in areas such as human-wildlife conflict mitigation, ecosystem restoration, disaster risk reduction, desert and marginal land rehabilitation, and genetic improvement of bamboo and rattan.
He also sought technical support from China in timber processing, bamboo and rattan product development, and wildlife farming.
Minister Shahi informed his Chinese counterpart that the process of transferring two one-horned rhinoceroses from Nepal to China is nearing finalization.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 13th Council Meeting of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), currently underway in Beijing. Minister Shahi is attending the event in his capacity as the Chair of the 13th INBAR Council, with Nepal serving as the current chairing nation.
Speaking at the event, Shahi reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to implementing INBAR’s initiatives and outcomes from the 13th Council Meeting. He expressed Nepal’s interest in working closely with all member states to explore new areas of cooperation.
Established in 1997, INBAR is an intergovernmental organization that promotes sustainable development through the use of bamboo and rattan, contributing to environmental resilience and poverty reduction.
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