Featured Events

On January 22, 2024, SAWTEE, in collaboration with the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ-Surkhet), conducted a media workshop for economic journalists in Surkhet, Karnali Province. The main objective of the programme was to enhance the capacity of media professionals in reporting on topics such as balance of payments, Nepal-India trade, and Nepal-Bangladesh trade.

South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a discussion between the High-Level Committee for Tax System Reform and businesses and experts from Nepal’s information technology (IT) industry on 3 January 2024 at SAWTEE office. The committee, chaired by former minister and finance secretary Vidyadhar Mallik, received inputs on opportunities, problems, and changes essential for accelerating the growth of Nepal’s IT sector.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a discussion programme on Nepal-China Trade: Prospects and Challenges on 9 November 2023 in Kathmandu. The objective of the programme was to share the preliminary findings of the research done by SAWTEE and gather insights from stakeholders into the prospects and challenges in Nepal-China trade. The focus was particularly in navigating the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic that has led to significant disruptions to cross-border trade between the two nations. The programme was supported by The Asia Foundation

The Fourteenth South Asia Economic Summit (SAES XIV) concluded with an emphasis on the need to strengthen regional cooperation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Summit organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) on 4-5 November 2023 brought together key stakeholders of South Asia’s integration and also experts and scholars from beyond the region who worked on the issues of interest and concern to South Asia. The Summit, with its overarching theme “Reframing South Asian Regional Cooperation in the New Context National and Global Dimensions”, stressed the urgent need to rethink the modalities of South Asian cooperation, taking into cognisance the new developments – both within and outside the region – which have implications for intra-regional cooperation in South Asia.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in collaboration with the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) organized a workshop for economic journalists of Koshi Province in Ilam on 7-8 September 2023. The objective of the workshop was to build the capacity of economic journalists in covering issues related to international trade and external sector. Twenty-five journalists from different media streams (e.g., radio, online and print) participated in the workshop.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a discussion programme titled “Assessment of Nepal’s public debt, and experiences of Pakistan and Sri Lanka” on 1 September 2023 as part of a seminar on "Small State Capabilities: Navigating Competition and Foreign Policy Priorities in Nepal", supported by The Asia Foundation (TAF). The discussion programme aimed to initiate a dialogue on Nepal’s public debt and assess whether Nepal is veering towards an unsustainable path of debt accumulation.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a discussion programme titled “Nepal’s regional trade: Prospects and challenges” on 1 September 2023 as part of a seminar on "Small State Capabilities: Navigating Competition and Foreign Policy Priorities in Nepal", supported by the Asia Foundation (TAF).  The objective of the discussion programme was to dissect the prospects and challenges in Nepal’s regional trade, covering both goods and electricity.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in collaboration with the Society of Economic Journalists (SEJON) organized a workshop for economic journalists to build their capacity in covering issues related to balance of payments, Nepal-India trade and transit treaty, examining trade through gender lens, Nepal-Bangladesh trade, and LDC graduation. The workshop was held in Janakpur on 1-2 August 2023. 

On July 20,2023, South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a roundtable discussion on Unpacking Nepal-US Trade. The main objective of the event was to discuss the prospects and challenges of exporting to the US. The event was supported by The Asia Foundation.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in collaboration with the Society of Economic Journalists (SEJON) organized a workshop for economic journalists to build their capacity in covering issues related to balance of payments, Nepal-India trade and transit treaty, examining trade through gender lens, Nepal-Bangladesh trade, and LDC graduation. The residential workshop was held at Godavari Village Resort on 30 June -1 July 2023.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a roundtable discussion on 6 April, 2023, to seek inputs from relevant stakeholders regarding the required amendments and revisions to the Nepal-India Trade treaty in order to further develop trade between Nepal and India for mutual benefit.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with The Asia foundation (TAF), organized a seminar on “Trade policy and economic diplomacy in Federal Nepal”. The event saw the participation of current and former policymakers, trade experts, diplomats, researchers, academicians and journalists, among others. 

SAWTEE is part of a consortium promoting Birat Expo, an agricultural and industrial international exhibition, organized by the Chamber of Industries Morang in Biratnagar in Province 1 (east Nepal) from 15-21 December 2022.

South Asia Watch on Trade, economics and Environment (SAWTEE), with support from the Asia Foundation (TAF), organized a webinar on “Regional Investment: Barriers, Opportunities and Facilitation” on 1 December 2022. The panel discussed the state of intraregional investment in South Asia and its linkages with trade and value chain integration. The session had Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), experts and academicians that specialize in the issues of regional investment to delineate pathways for greater investment integration in the region.

SAWTEE organized a roundtable discussion on “Overcoming Barriers to Growth Entrepreneurs” to examine the existing gaps in the entrepreneurial ecosystem especially for startups and growth-potential existing businesses on 29 November 2022 at Maya Manor Boutique Hotel, Kathmandu. 

The event saw the participation of business owners, entrepreneurs, policymakers and investment experts. They discussed on the types of focused support needed by startups and how different support agencies from public and private sectors should be engaged to build a well-connected ecosystem. 

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), Kathmandu and Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI), Norway jointly organized a two-day regional conference on Suitable Seeds for Food Security to disseminate the findings of the study “Suitable seeds for food security in fragile states” and initiate a discussion around seed security and climate change.

SAWTEE with the support of The Asia Foundation organized a webinar on “COP27: Issues, agenda and expectations” on Thursday, 20 October 2022. The discussions were made on issues such as adaptation, climate finance, loss and damage, and trade policy-climate policy nexus, from the perspective of South Asia, and the way forward. The webinar was the second among a series of civil society forums to discuss and raise awareness on issues of regional interest among civil society organizations working on diverse areas. The online session saw the participation of researchers, climate activists and academicians and representatives from civil society organizations, think tanks and private sectors.  

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a roundtable dialogue on “Pathways to enhance exports through innovation” on Wednesday, 28 September, 2022 to identify and examine constraints to exporting faced by exporters and to discuss the types of innovation support available to exporters from government and private agencies. 

SAWTEE with the support of The Asia Foundation organized a webinar on “Regional Connectivity: BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity” on Friday, 23 September, 2022. The meeting discussed connectivity in the BIMSTEC region, with a special focus on the recently published BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. The meeting was the first among a series of civil society forums to raise awareness and deepen dialogue among civil society organizations in South Asia and the Bay of Bengal region so that they can understand and effectively contribute to deliberations and decisions in formal, official cooperation platforms. The online session saw the participation of representatives from civil society organizations, think tanks, private sectors and academicians. 

SAWTEE organized a round-table discussion on "Economic diplomacy for trade facilitation and better export performance of federal Nepal". The discussion brought together experts, researchers and representatives from government. 

Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN) and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) co-organized a panel discussion on “Role of Trade Facilitation: Promoting Women-Led Enterprises Access to International Markets" in 6th International Women’s Trade Expo and Symposium 2022.  

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) -Province 1 & SAWTEE with support from The Asia Foundation organized a media training programme in Biratnagar on "Economic Reporting: External Sector" with an aim to train journalists in economic reporting and aware them on appropriate dissemination of information.

SAWTEE in collaboration with The Asia Foundation and FNCCI- Province 1 organized a workshop "Export Potential to neighbouring States in India" on 17 August 2022 in Biratnagar.

 Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) with support from the Asia Foundation (TAF) organized a media training programme titled “Economic Reporting: External Sector” on 10 August 2022 with the aim of training journalists on economic reporting.  

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Third World Network (TWN) organized a workshop on “Preparedness of Nepal’s pharmaceutical sector in the face of LDC graduation” on 26 July 2022 to identify the major policy and institutional challenges for the optimal use of flexibilities available under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization and suggest the way forward in the context of Nepal’s graduation from the category of least developed countries in 2026.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a half-day policy dialogue to disseminate the findings of the ESCAP flagship report, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2022 on 1 July 2022 in Kathmandu.

SAWTEE and the Export Promotion Committee (EPC) at the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) held a virtual dialogue on 23 February 2022 to discuss the implications of Nepal’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category. The representatives from the committee expressed concern about the potential impacts as well as lack of knowledge about several aspects of the graduation and urged the government to provide proper policy support to the export sector and support in capacity-building of the private sector to deal with the post-graduation international trade regime for Nepal.

SAWTEE participated in a dialogue with the private sector in an interaction event virtually organized by the National Planning Commission (NPC) on 15 February 2022. The programme sought the private sector’s perspectives on the impact of Nepal’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category to ensure that the transition strategy that NPC is preparing tackles the issue comprehensively. The private sector representatives expressed a general concern about the graduation and identified the need for government support, including in getting the best-available preferential schemes such as GSP+, in mitigating the impacts.

SAWTEE and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) on 6 February 2022 held a virtual dialogue on the implications of Nepal’s LDC graduation with the objective of informing the government of the concerns of the private sector to ensure a smooth transition out of the LDC category for Nepal. The participants echoed the view that the LDC graduation could result in a significant impact on Nepal’s exports, particularly the exports by SMEs, and that the government has to put sincere efforts to ensure that Nepal’s LDC graduation will be smooth.

SDPI Pakistan organized a session: Building Local Resilient Food Systems to end Hunger- Leaving no one behind in partnership with World Food Programme, Pakistan, and SAWTEE at their 24^th annual International Conference.

SAWTEE co-organized a session “International Support Measures for the Graduating LDCs: Perspectives from South Asia” with Citizen’s Platform for SDGs (CPD), Bangladesh, and Centre for Research on Bhutanese Society, Bhutan at International Institute for Sustainable Development(IISD)’s inaugural Trade and Sustainability Hub on 2nd December 2021.  

SAWTEE co-organized a session “Industrial Policy in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution” at International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)’s inaugural Trade and Sustainability Hub on 2^nd December 2021. The session covered the South Asian Perspectives on industrial policy in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. 

SAWTEE, in partnership with the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (FWEAN), organized an awareness generation workshop for the women entrepreneurs in Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces on 23 September 2021.

Experts have cautioned that flawed policies that do not recognize the gender-differentiated impacts of policies and reforms may end up hurting women entrepreneurial ecosystem during a webinar titled ‘Gender Dimensions of Trade Facilitation: Evidence from Nepal’ by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE).

‘Nepal’s graduation from the least-developed country (LDC) status is a cause worth celebrating’ experts pointed out during a webinar organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) on Tuesday. This webinar was organized for a thorough examination of the ideas behind Nepal’s graduation, its impacts, the potential fall out and policy measures required to support Nepal’s transition.

On 04 March 2021, Kathmandu,  South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a webinar titled ‘Towards recovery: Women entrepreneurs coping with the pandemic’ to discuss the findings of the survey undertaken to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the women entrepreneurs with some of the esteemed experts of Nepal in the panel. 

SAWTEE, in partnership with Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries-Province 1, organized a workshop with the women entrepreneurs in Biratnagar on 29 December 2020.

SAWTEE, in association with Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment, Surdurpashchim Province and Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (Ministry of Forests and Environment, Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)), organized an interaction to discuss the findings of an exploratory assessment of Sudurpashchim province’s export potential on 24 December 2020 in Dhangadi. 

SAWTEE, in association with Manav Adhikar tatha Grameen Bikas, Surkhet, organized a full-day workshop on enhancing entrepreneurial capabilities of women entrepreneurs in Surkhet on 13 December 2020.

SAWTEE, in association with Manushi-Nepal, organized a half-day workshop to generate awareness among women entrepreneurs regarding participating in international trade on 6 March 2020 in Kathmandu. FCA Arun Raut, General Secretary, Association of Chartered Accountants of Nepal, provided insights into managing accounts, calculating taxes and becoming credit-worthy; and Mr. Rajan Sharma, former President, Nepal Freight Forwarders Association, shared information on export procedures, how to look for markets abroad, maintaining quality and other requirements to become export-ready.

SAWTEE’s latest research on the relations between remittance and self-employment finds that remittance-recipients tend to reduce their labour supply in non-farm self-employment. The findings suggest that strong policy measures are needed to create conditions that make non-farm self-employment a vocation of enthusiastic entrepreneurs rather than the occupation of reluctant ones. These findings were presented at an interaction programme ‘Leveraging remittances for economic transformation’ organized today by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized on 17 January 2020. Click here for more.

As the Government of Nepal negotiates a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Bangladesh, persuading Bangladesh to remove an array of duties and charges that it levies over and above basic customs duties on products of export interest to Nepal should top the negotiating agenda, experts and traders emphasized, in a programme organized on Sunday on Nepal-Bangladesh trade and connectivity.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a roundtable discussion on, President Xi’s visit: outcome and road ahead on 21 October 2019. Twenty instruments (agreements and memoranda of understandings), which include trans-Himalayan connectivity, boundary management, tunnel construction and governance capacity building, among others, were signed and exchanged during President Xi’s visit to Nepal. Against this backdrop the discussion aimed to review the outcome of President Xi’s visit to Nepal and discuss the next steps that Nepal should undertake to gain maximum benefits. Dr. Posh Raj Pandey, Chairman, SAWTEE moderated the discussion and Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya, Head of SAWTEE Centre for Sustainable Development provided the participants with a brief overview for of the high-level visit. Participants of the discussion included representatives of leading political parties, foreign policy experts, civil society members among others.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics an Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), organized an interaction workshop on 11 Aug 2019 to discuss the implications for Nepal of the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement ( BBIN MVA). Hon. Prof. Dr. Puspa Raj Kadel, Vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission (NPC) acted as the Chief Guest and Mr. Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Supplies provided special remarks. The workshop was attended by high-level decision-makers from different ministries, representatives from the private sector, representatives from the academia, and key media representatives, among others. The stakeholders urged the government to quickly resolve some of the practical concerns and ambiguities in the protocols to ensure that the MVA can be implemented soon and is beneficial to Nepal.

Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MOICS) and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a discussion programme on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Issues in Agriculture Trade on 5th August 2019. The main objective of the programme was to create awareness on SPS issues in agriculture trade and discuss the measures that Nepal should undertake in the days ahead. Hon’ble Mr. Matrika Prasad Yadav, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies was the Chief Guest of the programme.    

Intergovernmental coordination and awareness amongst the consumers and farmers are essential to prevent people from the harmful effects of pesticides. Excessive, improper use and unsound disposal of the pesticides calls for better regulation and implementation. Therefore there is a need to create awareness on optimal use of pesticides by strengthening agriculture extension services and also mobilizing the private sector.  

SAWTEE- Centre for Sustainable Development (SAWTEE-CSD), in an attempt to bring forth current national and international issues affecting Nepal’s socio-economic development, has initiated a Roundtable Discussion Series. The roundtable discussion brings together a wide section of experts and stakeholders to participate in the policy discourse. 

Biratnagar, 21 February: Nepal needs to revise its trade- and transit-related agreements with Bangladesh to address the growing complexities between two countries in their trade relations to benefit Nepalese exporters that see potential for their goods in the Bangladeshi market, according to the participants of an interaction programme titled "Nepal-Bangladesh Trade: Opportunity and Challenges" jointly organized bythe Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Supplies (MoICS); South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Morang Merchant Association (MMA) organized here today. 

The implementation of the Federal system requires a strong foundation. Local government Operation Act 2074 and Intergovernmental Fiscal Arrangement Act 2074 provide the basis for its effective implementation. But since federalism is a fairly new subject for Nepal, problems regarding the distribution, utilization and implementation of resources have surfaced. 

Nepal’s trade treaty with India is in need of substantial revisions in order for Nepal to be able to arrest its ballooning trade deficit with its biggest trade partner. Upon the proposal of the Government of Nepal, the secretary-level meeting between the countries that took place on April 26-27, 2018, agreed to discuss the various provisions of the trade treaty in a comprehensive manner. The first meeting took place on 9th August, 2018 in New Delhi, India and the second one is going to be held on February 7-8, 2019 in Pokhara, Nepal.    

KATHMANDU: SAWTEE-Centre for Sustainable Development (SAWTEE-CSD) organized an interaction program titled Changing Strategic Landscapes: Nepals External Engagements, on 5 February 2019, to discuss the ways Nepal can use external engagements to promote our interests and aspirations in the changing global dynamics.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), together with the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), Dhaka, organized the eleventh edition of the South Asian Training Programme on CGE Modelling in Pokhara, Nepal from 9-13 August 2018. The programme was organized in collaboration with the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), New Delhi and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS), Government of Nepal.

On 6 August, the launch ceremony of the SAWTEE Centre for Sustainable Development (SAWTEE-CSD), which aims to promote sustainable and inclusive development in Nepal, was held in Kathmandu. A distinguished panel that included Hon. Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali (Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Mr. Prakash Sharan Mahat (former Foreign Minister) launched the Centre amid participants that included policymakers, researchers, diplomats, and development partners. 

SAWTEE-CSD, an independent, non-partisan research and advocacy institution, aspires to support accelerated, inclusive and sustainable development and structural transformation in Nepal, taking into account the convergence between the national development goals and the global development framework – SDGs. The Centre will be led by Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations; and former Foreign Secretary of Nepal.

South Asia Watch of Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MOICS) jointly organized an interaction programme on 2^nd July 2018 at Hotel Himalaya, Kupandole, with the objective of gathering inputs from various stakeholders of the Nepalese e-commerce industry, policy makers as well as those who could potentially benefit from e-commerce and digital economy.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a round table discussion on 15 June, 2018 with a primary objective to discuss the current state of Nepal-China relations and to identify the priorities for Nepal in upcoming negotiations during Prime Minister Oli’s forthcoming state visit to China on June 19.

SAWTEE and Feed the Future Project, Winrock International organized a half-day stakeholder roundtable discussion on “Enabling Environment for Agricultural Technology Innovation and Adoption: Policy, Legislation and Practice” in Kathmandu on 12 January 2018.

A two-day workshop titled Reimagining the Governance of Genetic Resources and Intellectual Property for Agriculture and Food Security in Asia was held in Kathmandu on 2 and 3 August 2017. It was organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), together with the ARC Laureate Project on Intellectual Property and Food Security at the University of Queensland and Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI). The objective of the workshop was to discuss policy options to safeguard the rights of farmers and breeders in the Asia-Pacific countries. 

Ministry of Commerce, together with South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), organized a half-day workshop on “WTO Services Waiver: Exploring opportunities and challenges for Nepal” on 9 July 2017. The objective of the workshop was to discuss the status of services sector in the Nepalese economy and its role in export promotion. The programme also discussed the multilateral rules governing the services sector, including Services Waiver, and explored ways to benefit from the waiver provided to the least-developed countries (LDCs) by the developed and developing World Trade Organization (WTO) members. 

KATHMANDU, 29 June 2017: South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized an event to discuss the prospects of inland waterways for transboundary connectivity here today. The experts present at the National Policy Dialogue pointed out the urgent need of setting up of an institution to govern water transport to develop navigation as an alternative mode of transport. 

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized the programme in association with a Jaipur-based think-tank, CUTS International organised a programme to share the findings of a study “Linkages and impacts of cross-border informal trade in agricultural inputs between Nepal and India” on 2 May, 2017 in Kathmandu. 

A South Asian regional workshop was organized in Kathmandu to validate the research findings of a report on sustainable intensification of agriculture in the region. The objective was also to disseminate the major issues unearthed by the research and to seek key areas of cooperation. The event was held on 23-24 March, 2017. The research partners included South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat, SAARC Technical Committee on Agricultural and Rural Development (TCARD), SAARC Agricultural Centre, South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Experts emphasized on the need to review and reinforce the energy and water cooperation in South Asia in a programme organized here today. The discussion took place in a workshop organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in partnership with Cuts International and Institute for Social and Environmental Transition (ISET)-Nepal. 

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a national workshop titled “Export Potential of Fresh Vegetables to India and Other Countries” on 30 December 2016 in Kathmandu. The objective of the workshop was to validate the findings of the research carried out by SAWTEE with support from SAMARTH-NMDP. The research was carried out at major custom points in Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Biratnagar, Jhapa, Dhangadi, Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj. The research findings was based on field survey and wider consultation with related stakeholders.

A two-day conference was held in Kathmandu from 29 to 30 September 2016 to disseminate the findings of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) country studies on trade and transport facilitation in the region. The meet organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) brought together participants from all the SAARC countries, except Afghanistan.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a half day validation meeting with the objective of sharing the findings of the research entitled “Export of Vegetables and Fruits from Eastern Region of Nepal’, on 23 May 2016 in Kathmandu.

SAWTEE and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) organized a round table discussion on the annual flagship publication of the UNESCAP ‘Economic and Social Survey of Asia and The Pacific 2016’. The publication focuses on nurturing productivity for inclusive growth and sustainable development. 

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE) and Oxfam organized a two-day regional meeting on “Regional cooperation on trade, climate change and food security in South Asia: Reflections and way forward”.The overall objective of the workshop was to discuss issues on trade, climate change and food security relevant to South Asia based on the experience and outcomes of studies conducted by SAWTEE. The workshop focused on building a common understanding and strategy for mutual cooperation in South Asia on trade, climate change and food security.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE) in coordination with Oxfam organized a national consultation workshop on “Impact of the Earthquake on Food Security and Livelihood on Urban Poor in Nepal” and “Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture Adaptation Practices and Gender”. The objective of the workshop was to disseminate the findings of the two studies and to gather suggestions.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE) and Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI), Norway organized a two-day regional meeting on “Conservation, Use and Exchange of Crop Genetic Resources: Promoting Regional Cooperation for a Food-Secure, Climate- Resilient South Asia”. The objective of the meeting was to bring together experts, policy makers, private sector representatives, academic researchers and relevant stakeholders to discuss issues related to governance of crop genetic resources in South Asia.

The eighth edition of the South Asian Training Programme on CGE Modelling was held in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh from 4-8 August 2015. The programme was organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), Dhaka in collaboration with the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), New Delhi. 

Kathmandu, July 20: Senior economists, representatives of the private sector, bankers and other expert-stakeholders discussed the economic aspects of the draft constitution and their implications for the country. The discussion was organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) to gather experts opinion on Nepal economic system that has been proposed in the draft constitution, and to prepare a set of suggestions to be considered when finalizing the constitution.

SAWTEE organized a half day national consultation program with support from UNDP/APRC on South Asian Country study on products with regional trade potential and associated non-tariff barriers with special focus on Women in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(WMSMEs) -A case of Nepal on 12^th February 2015. The objective of the workshop was to share the findings of a research carried out in Baglung, Dolakha, Kathmandu, Rukum and Sankhuwasabha and gather inputs on the study from various stakeholders in order to make the study and the recommendations more robust.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on Enhancing Export Competitiveness of Nepali Silver Jewellery in collaboration with German Cooperation for Development and Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) on 14 January 2015. The PPD aimed at identifying export related barriers in the silver jewellery sector, and preparing an action plan to address them with a view of submitting them to the Nepal Business Forum. 

South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment, in collaboration with German Cooperation for Development (GIZ) organized a Public Private Dialogue (PPD) on enhancing export competitiveness of honey on 23 December 2014. The programme was attended by more than 40 participants representing the government, private sector and media. The objective of the event was to identify and address export-related barriers facing the Nepali beekeeping sector. The dialogue discussed various barriers prevalent in the sector and came up a comprehensive action plan to address them. 

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a High-level Dialogue on “Post-2015 Development Agenda and 18^th SAARC Summit: Nepal’s perspectives”in Kathmandu on 14 December 2014. The dialogue was organized on the backdrop of the recent SAARC Summit and the upcoming Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Least Developed Countries (LDCs) on graduation. The objective of the programme was to discuss the importance of post-2015 development agenda, its possible inter-linkages and complementarities with the issues identified in the SAARC Summit and possible challenges for implementation in Nepal. The programme was attended by 60 participants representing high-level policy experts, government officials, diplomats, private sector and the media.

South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), CUTS International and Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), organized a two day regional consultation on “Deepening Economic Cooperation in South Asia: Expectations from the 18th SAARC Summit” in Kathmandu on 23 and 24 November 2014. The regional consultation was organized on the sidelines of the 18th SAARC Summit.  The major objective of the consultation was to discuss issues important for South Asia in the area of regional trade, investment and energy cooperation, among others, and provide recommendations on the way forward. The programme was attended by about 81 participants representing academics, research, government, private sector and media.  

The seventh edition of the South Asian Training Programme on CGE Modelling was held in Kathmandu from 20-24 November 2014. The programme was organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), Dhaka and the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), New Delhi. 

South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a half day discussion programme on “Addressing Non-Tariff Barriers on Export of Ginger” on 14^th November 2014 in Kathmandu. The programme was organized to share the findings of the research that has been conducted by SAWTEE, and gather feedback/suggestions from the stakeholders in order to efficiently implement into the research findings for its effectiveness. The programme was attended by about 43 participants representing government officials from Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, Ministry of Agricultural Development, representatives of the private sector such as Nepal Ginger Producers and Traders Association, members from civil society organizations and the media.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with Oxfam in Nepal, organized a National Stakeholders Dialogue on "Upcoming 18^th SAARC Summit: Nepals perspectives on climate change, agriculture, food security and disaster risk reduction" on 16 October 2014 in Kathmandu. The major objective of the dialogue was to identify and discuss issues important for Nepal in areas of climate change, agriculture, food security and disaster risk reduction. The dialogue was attended by sixty five participants representing the government, civil society organizations, private sector, academia, and the media.

SAWTEE organized a two day policy dialogue on “Building a Coherent System of Resource Management and Access and Benefit Sharing in Nepal” on 21-22 September 2014. The main objective of the dialogue was to explore the relationship between three international instruments: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (ILO169) on the issue of access and benefit sharing (ABS) in Nepal. The programme was attended by 17 experts on agriculture and plant genetic resources from various government and non-government agencies.

SAWTEE organized a one-and-a-half day discussion programme on "Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing: Local Issues and Concerns" in Lalitpur on 10-11 September 2014. The objective of the programme was to discuss and identify local access and benefit sharing practices with regard to crop genetic resources and natural resources. About 13 participants including representatives from community seed banks, community forestry user groups, and District Agriculture Development Officers of Bara, Lalitpur, Makawanpur and Sindhupalchok attended the programme.

SAWTEE organized a half day Public-Private Dialogue on “A Public Private Dialogue on Enhancing Export Competitiveness of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Essential Oils” on 27 May, 2014. The programme was attended by more than 40 participants representing the government, private sector, national chambers of commerce, and non-governmental organizations. The main objective of the dialogue was to present the findings of the study on “Realizing the Export Potential of MAPs and Essential Oils: Overcoming the Trade Barriers”.

A two-day seminar on Regional cooperation on trade, climate change and food security in South Asia: Some reflections and way forward was organized by South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) in collaboration with Oxfam and Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) in Kathmandu on 13-14 March 2014. Experts from various South Asian countries underlined the need for regional cooperation to expedite trade, address climate change concerns and overcome food insecurity at the two-day seminar.

On 13 February 2014, SAWTEEorganized a half day policy dialogueon "Ensuring Seed Security in Nepal". The programme was attended by more than 60 participants representing the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private sector, farmers, organization, cooperative and the media.The main objective of the programme was to discuss issues related to seed security in Nepal, keeping in view the need to increase agriculture productivity, ensure food security and safeguard farmers  rights.

SAWTEE participated in the Ninth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC9) and organised two different sessions in the “Trade and Development Symposium” that took place on December 3-5 on the sidelines of the MC9.

On 28 th November 2013, SAWTEE,  Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) and Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) jointly organized a stakeholders’ dialogue in Kathmandu in order to identify Nepal’s negotiating positions for the 9 thMinisterial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) scheduled for 3-6 December in Bali. Honourable Shankar Prasad Koirala, Minister of Commerce and Supplies, who is leading the Nepalese delegation to the Ministerial Conference was the Chief Guest of the programme.

The sixth edition of the South Asian training programme on CGE (Computable General Equilibrium) modelling was conducted from 22-26 October 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal. South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized the training in collaboration with the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), Dhaka and the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), New Delhi.

“Trade and Transport Facilitation Audit in South Asia ” and “Promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for Inclusive, Equitable and Sustainable Development in South Asia”

A two-day inception meeting of two projects supported by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), namely “Trade and Transport Facilitation Audit in South Asia” lead by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and “Promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for Inclusive, Equitable and Sustainable Development in South Asia” lead by UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Centre (APRC), Bangkok, was organized in Kathmandu on 1-2 October 2013. The main objective of the two-day inception meeting was to present the relevance and the objectives of the two projects, and more importantly to gather expert opinions and suggestions in order to efficiently implement and increase the effectiveness of the projects for maximum impact.

The 6th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) was held in Colombo on 2–4 September 2013. The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) was the main organizer of the 6th SAES and SAWTEE was a core partner. Dr Posh Raj Pandey, Executive Chairman; Mr Puspa Sharma, Research Director; and Mr Kamalesh Adhikari, Director (on study leave) and currently a Phd scholar at the Australian National University, represented SAWTEE at the 6th SAES.

SAWTEE and Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD), Government of Nepal (GoN), jointly organized a two day discussion programme on “Nepal’s preparation for the Fifth Session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)” on 29-30 August 2013 in Kathmandu. The main objectives of the programme were to brainstorm on major issues to be discussed at the Fifth Session of the Governing Body of the ITPGRFA being held from 24-28 September 2013 in Muscat, Oman; and to identify Nepal’s concerns and possible areas of collaboration with other developing and least developed countries during the governing body meeting.

SAWTEE, in association with the Fridtjof Nansens Institute (FNI), Norway, organized a discussion programme on “Access and Benefit Sharing in Relation to Crop Genetic Resources” on 5 August 2013 in Kathmandu. The programme was organized as part of a study project being implemented in Nepal and India by SAWTEE in collaboration with the FNI.

SAWTEE, in partnership with Oxfam and its global campaign GROW, organised a regional consultation on “Food-related Legislation in South Asia” on 30-31 July 2013, in Kathmandu as a part of its ongoing regional programme “Research, advocacy and capacity building on food-related legislation in South Asia”. The major objective of the consultation was to disseminate the findings of the country specific food-related legislation studies undertaken under the programme in five South Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

SAWTEE, in collaboration with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), the United Kingdom, organised a dissemination workshop on 26 July 2013, in Kathmandu to validate their joint research study titled “Practical Approaches to Supporting Competitiveness of Lower/Middle Income Countries in a Carbon Constrained World: A Case Study of Nepal in the Context of Climate Change Mitigation”. The goal of the study is to promote better economic policymaking that responds to the new opportunities and threats that will arise in a low-carbon global economy along with the promotion of green growth and jobs.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International jointly organized a panel discussion on “Aid for Trade: Regional/ Global Value Chains and the Role of Trilateral Development Cooperation” yesterday. The event was organized at the sidelines of the Fourth Global Review on Aid for Trade taking place at the WTO Secretariat in Geneva from 8 to 10 July 2013.   

A two-day regional training programme for economic journalists from South Asian countries was jointly organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), Kathmandu, and Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), Colombo, in Marawila, Sri Lanka on 4-5 July 2013. The broad theme of the training programme was “Trade, Climate Change and Food Security”.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), Kathmandu, and the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), Colombo organized a two-day regional consultation on “Road to Bali: South Asian Priorities for the Ninth WTO Ministerial” in Marawila, Sri Lanka on 2-3 July 2013. The consultation adopted a resolution that will be submitted to all SAARC countries that are WTO members, so that they have a common voice in some of the WTO issues to take to the Ninth WTO Ministerial that is taking place in Bali on 3-6 December this year. Participants of the consultation opined that there are differences amongst South Asian countries, and it would be difficult to have a common position on all issues; however, there are issues that are of common concern to most of the South Asian countries, and those concerns should be taken to the WTO Ministerial with a common voice.

SAWTEE, along with International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, organized a two-day regional consultation titled “South Asian Consultation on Green Economy” in Lalitpur on 23-24 June 2013. The main objectives of the consultation were to identify research agendas on green economy in South Asia and create a network of like-minded individuals/institutions to work further on South Asian green economy. More than 40 participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, India, Korea, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka participated at the event.

SAWTEE and Oxfam Novib organized a high-level dialogue on “Linking Istanbul Plan of Action with Post-2015 Development Framework” in Kathmandu on 8 May 2013 under the regional project “Trade, Climate Change and Food Security”. The event was participated by about 100 participants ranging from government officials to representatives of intergovernmental organizations, development partners, international and national non-governmental organizations, private sector,  academia, practitioners, and the media, among others.

As part of a regional project “Cost of Economic Non-Cooperation to Consumers in South Asia, Phase II (COENCOSA-II)”, South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), organized an interaction programme titled “Removal/Harmonization of Non-Tariff Barriers in South Asia” on 29 April 2013 in Kathmandu.

SAWTEE and Oxfam Novib organized a two-day Regional Consultation on “Trade, Climate Change and Food Security in South Asia” in Kathmandu on 20–21 December 2012. Participants from around the region called for policies and strategies to cope with the impacts on agriculture and food production from a highly likely increase in global temperature of more than 2 percentage points above pre-industrial levels.

In the context of climate change and deterioration of genetic resource pool globally, and increasing interest of multinational companies in the seed sector, experts today highlighted that the relevance of community seed banks is increasing in a discussion programme on “Operationalizing SAARC Seed Bank and Material Transfer Agreement from the Community Seed Banks’ Perspective” organized by SAWTEE.

A two-day international dialogue on The Future of Aid for Trade was  organized from 22-23 November 2012 at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva by International Centre for Trade and Sustainable(ICTSD) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland in collaboration with South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), World Bank and other organizations. The dialogue ended with a call for instituting a mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of the Aid for Trade initiative at the country level.

 A three-day standardization workshop on “Strengthening institutional capacity on sustainability criteria for bioenergy” was held from 21-23 November in Kathmandu. The workshop was part of a longer project “Trade promotion through standardization” being implemented jointly by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) with the support of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) in eight countries of the South and Southeast Asia regions, namely, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam. The workshop was organized against the backdrop of the setting of a new standard on the sustainability criteria for bioenergy by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

12 October 2012, Hyderabad, India: Biodiversity is a natural insurance policy against climate change and crop biodiversity plays an important role in climate adaptation as well as mitigation. Therefore, at the present time when increasing importance is given to modern agriculture that emphasizes mono-cropping and use of chemical fertilizers, among other things, it is important to put greater emphasis in the conservation and sustainable use of agro-biodiversity. 

SAWTEE and South Asia Centre for Policy Studies (SACEPS) launched a book titled Regional Economic Integration: Challenges for South Asia during turbulent times amidst a function on 5 October 2012 in Kathmandu. The book launch programme commenced with Mr. Madhu Raman Acharya, Executive Director, SACEPS delivering his welcome speech. 

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), one of SAWTEE’s member organizations, organized the 5^th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES V) in Islamabad from 11 September to 13 September 2012.

A new book titled ‘Regional Economic Integration: Challenges for South Asia during Turbulent Times’ was released at the inaugural session of Fifth South Asia Economic Summit co-organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) with its member organization Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan and other think tanks from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.  The book, jointly published by SAWTEE and South Asia Center for Policy Studies (SACEPS), highlights challenges for regional economic integration in South Asia by examining the current shortcomings and future challenges.

The Fifth South Asian Training Programme on CGE Modelling was held in Kathmandu from 27-31 August 2012. It was organized by SAWTEE, South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM), Dhaka and Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), New Delhi. 

At a validation workshop on “Nepal Case Study For European Report on Development”, organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Center for the Study of Labour and Migration (CESLM), experts highlighted the role of development framework in post 2015 era and stressed on the need to better utilize development support in both the unmet MDG targets and in new areas such as climate change and sustainable development.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), in collaboration with Department of Commerce and Supplies Management (DoCSM) and USAID NEAT activity, organized a consultative meeting to discuss the draft Guidelines of Competition Promotion and Market Protection(CPMP) Act 2063 on July 11, 2012.

 SAWTEE, the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka and Oxfam Novib organized a South Asia-level regional seminar on “Emerging Issues on Trade, Climate Change and Food Security: Way Forward for South Asia” on 31 May-1 June 2012 in Colombo. The programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Minister of Environment, Government of Sri Lanka.

SAWTEE, in association with Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Government of Nepal, and Nepal Economy, Agriculture and Trade (NEAT) Activity/USAID, organized a half-day Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on 26 April 2012 in Kathmandu. The objective of the event was to disseminate the overall findings of the “Nepal-China Trade Study” report, which sheds light on Nepal’s overall trade indicators with China, Nepal’s top potential products to China, critical trade barriers and supply-side bottlenecks, reviews Nepal-China trade treaties, and provides recommendations for the government of Nepal and the private sector with regard to improving Nepal-China trade.

“Better and fuller understanding of linkages between trade, climate change and food security is urgently needed”.This was a key conclusion of a joint session on “Climate change, food security and trade: Challenges and opportunities” organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and CUTS International. The session took place at the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Forum during UNCTAD XIII with the objective to discuss linkages between trade, climate change and food security and identify elements of holistic policy responses. It was attended by a number of developing country ambassadors, other country delegates, and representatives of international and non-governmental organizations.

SAWTEE, in association with Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Government of Nepal, and Nepal Economy, Agriculture and Trade (NEAT) Activity/USAID, organized a half-day Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on 17 April 2012 in Kathmandu. The objective of the event was to disseminate the findings of the report titled “Export of Tea and Lentils from Nepal” that was prepared by a team of trainees who had participated in the training “International Trading System” organized by SAWTEE in cooperation with MoCS as part of NEAT Activity from 7-9 February 2012 at Godavari, Lalitpur.

SAWTEE, in association with the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Government of Nepal, and Nepal Economic, Agriculture and Trade (NEAT) Activity of USAID, organized a Public-Private Dialogue on 23rd March 2012 in Kathmandu. The objective of the event was to share the key findings of two researches—Study on Nepal-India Trade and Diagnostic Study on SAFTA and SATIS—conducted by SAWTEE and to gather comments and suggestions from experts and stakeholders to further enrich the studies.

SAWTEE, in co-operation with GIZ, organized a two-day training on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on 1-2 March 2012. The target audiences for the training were private sector stakeholders associated with Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) and essential oils, and Silver Jewellery. The objective of the training was to raise awareness about IPRs to the private sector and apprise them of the relevance of IPRs to their sector. About 20 participants representing the two sectors participated in the training programme

SAWTEE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Government of Nepal, and USAID/NEAT Activity, organized a three-day training programme on “International Trading System” on 7-9 February 2012 in Godavari, Lalitpur. The major objectives of the training were to enhance understanding of the trainees on various issues of international trade, to enhance their capacity to effectively implement trade agreements and to equip them with knowledge and skills for trade negotiation. Twenty-nine participants representing MoCS, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry, Department of Commerce, Trade and Export Promotion Centre, Nepal Rastra Bank, Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and District Chambers participated in the training. The training was based on the training manual prepared by SAWTEE.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), CUTS International, The Asia Foundation, and Commonwealth Secretariat jointly organized a two-day dissemination meeting on ‘Cost of Economic Non-Cooperation to Consumer in South Asia’ on February 3-4 in Kathmandu. The report is based on a recent study by CUTS International, SAWTEE and other research organizations in the region. It finds that increasing trade in South Asia at preferential rates on a range of products that have both high intra-regional trade potential and high prospects for improving consumer welfare could save at least US$2 billion per year.

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organized a half-day interaction programme for the Delegation of Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to share Nepal’s experiences on accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), on 8 January 2012. A 20-member delegation led by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Afghanistan and having representation from nine ministries of Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)—the apex chamber of commerce—and a development partner participated in the meeting. The objective of the meeting for the foreign delegation was to learn from Nepal’s WTO accession experience and utilize the knowledge during Afghanistan’s ongoing accession negotiations at the WTO. The delegation, led by Deputy Minister Mr. Mozammil Shinwari, Director General of International Trade Directorate of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is currently in Nepal for a week-long WTO study tour.

SAWTEE in association with Lawyers' Academy Committee, Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON) organized a discussion forum on “Status of Competition in Nepal” on 5 December 2011 to mark the World Competition Day. The World Competition Day is celebrated on 5 December every year to mark the adoption by the United Nations of the Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices. This year the World Competition Day was marked with the theme 'Cartels and their harmful effects'.

SAWTEE, in cooperation with the German International Cooperation (GIZ), Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), Government of Nepal and Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), organized a “Public-Private Dialogue on Nepal’s WTO commitments and roles of stakeholders” in Pokhara on 2-3 December 2011. The major objective of the programme was to interact with local-level stakeholders on trade issues in general, and on Nepal’s commitments at the WTO and the status of their compliance, in particular.

The 4^th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) was organized by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in Dhaka on 22-23 October 2011. SAWTEE was one of the co-organizers of the Summit. The theme of the 4th SAES was Global Recovery, New Risks and Sustainable Growth: Repositioning South Asia. 

SAWTEE and Oxfam organized a two-day South Asian Consultation on “Food Justice in a Resource Constrained South Asia” on 26-27 September 2011 in Lalitpur, Nepal.

Effective trade, climate and development policy making and implementation depend significantly on a priori assessments of the implications that could arise from different policy options. It is thus important for researchers and policy makers to conduct ex ante analyses of alternative policy scenarios, for example, the potential implications of a particular policy measure such as tariff reduction for the macroeconomic environment, exports, imports, employment, poverty, food security, greenhouse gas emissions and environmental sustainability.

SAWTEE, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives/Government of Nepal, USC Canada Asia and Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development, organized a meeting of the Expert Committee formed by the Ministry to revise Nepal's Agricultural Biodiversity Policy 2007 on 6-7 June 2011 in Dhulikhel, Nepal.

The preliminary findings of the Research on Evaluating Development Effectiveness of Aid for Trade (AFT) were disseminated among stakeholders in Kathmandu on 2 May 2011. The event was jointly organized by SAWTEE and the International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Geneva.

SAWTEE, in collaboration with the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) and with the support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), organized a three day standardization workshop to strengthen the institutional capacity of standard organizations, private sector and other relevant stakeholders from the South and Southeast Asia regions on sustainable criteria for bio-energy. Fifty-two participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam participated in the workshop.

Nepal has made a number of commitments during its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Nepal has complied with many of the commitments it has made, but is yet to comply with a number of others. In this context, the role of WTO focal points is extremely important in understanding these various commitments and in complying with them. They should be taking the lead in complying with the WTO commitments that fall under their jurisdiction. More importantly, they should ensure that complying with the commitments will balance the country’s international obligations with the rights and welfare of its citizens.

The Fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (UNLDC IV) is scheduled for 9-13 May in Istanbul, Turkey. Nepal, being the Chair of the LDC group, is coordinating the preparatory processes in the run up to UNLDC IV.

SAWTEE and Oxfam organized the Second Civil Society Forum on Responding to Food Insecurity in South Asia from 24-25 February 2011 in Kathmandu.

A cross-section of over 50 stakeholders from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka participated in the Forum and adopted the Civil Society Statement on Food Security II, which contains a set of recommendations for the SAARC Agricultural Ministers, who were scheduled to meet in Dhaka on 3 March.

At a talk programme on Emerging Potentials of International Trade for South Asian LDCs organized by SAWTEE on 14 February 2011 in Kathmandu, experts highlighted issues pertinent to emerging potentials of international trade for South Asian least-developed countries (LDCs) and the supply-side constraints faced by them in boosting their export capacity and exports. They argued that the international community should not only provide market access, but also help LDCs in enhancing their trade capacity. Aid for Trade (AFT) could play an important role on this regard.

The launch meeting of a research project on "Evaluating Effectiveness of Aid for Trade in Nepal" was held in Kathmandu on 18 January 2011. About 50 stakeholders, including policy makers, academics, economists, private sector representatives, donor community and media persons, participated in the meeting.

Inview of the growing use and potential of computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling in trade and development policy research, SAWTEE and South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM) organized the Third South Asian Training Programme on CGE Modelling from 2–6 August 2010 in Kathmandu. A total of 29 researchers, academics and policy makers participated in the training.

SAWTEE, together with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Geneva and the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), New Delhi, organized a “Dialogue on Trade, Poverty and Climate Change” on 20–21 May in Kathmandu.