KATHMANDU: Dr. Ram Chandra Bhusal, chair of the Nepal JICA Alumni Association, has been elected as the chair of the JICA Alumni Association’s Forum of SAARC Countries. He was elected unopposed during the election held today following a three-day international seminar in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on “Japan’s Contribution to Social and Economic Development in South Asia.”
Dr. Bhusal is the current chair of the Nepal JICA Alumni Association and has served as the general secretary of the SAARC-region JICA Alumni Association since 2017.
According to Shanti Laxmi Shakya, general secretary of Nepal JICA Alumni Association, Dr. Bhusal and vice-chair Dr. Kiran Rupakheti represented Nepal at the conference, which included participation from JICA alumni across the SAARC region. A seven-member delegation from Nepal, led by Dr. Bhusal, attended the event.
During the seminar, Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Akio Isomata highlighted the organization’s role as a SAARC umbrella body in fostering strong relations between Japan and SAARC countries while contributing to social and economic development in the region.
Newly elected chair Dr. Bhusal emphasized that Japan has provided selfless, reliable, and sustainable support to the SAARC region. He noted that the region can learn valuable lessons from Japan in honesty, accountability, discipline, punctuality, and hard work.
The program also featured presentations on activities carried out by JICA alumni across the SAARC region. Established in 2008 as the umbrella organization for SAARC-region JICA alumni, the association has had its secretariat in Kathmandu since 2017.
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