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Ministry of Commerce And Supplies - Enhanced Integrated ...

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N T I S2010Although all <strong>of</strong> the indicators are important for creating a climate conducive to investment, the ‘EmployingWorkers’ and ‘Trading across Borders’ indicators seem those needing most urgent attention when consideringNepal’s poor global ranking in these two areas and their role in promoting trade and investment.Employing WorkersThe difficulties that employers face in hiring and firing workers are shown in Table 5.3. The table highlightsthe results for Nepal in 2010 relative to its neighbours and OECD average. Each index assigns values between0 and 100, with higher values representing more rigid regulations. The overall Rigidity <strong>of</strong> Employment Indexis an average <strong>of</strong> these indices.Table 5.3Employing Workers Indicators: Nepal, South Asia, OECD Average, 2010Indicator Nepal South Asia OECD AverageDiffi culty <strong>of</strong> hiring index (0-100) 67 27.8 26.5Rigidity <strong>of</strong> hours index (0-100) NA 10.0 30.1Diffi culty <strong>of</strong> redundancy index (0-100) 70 41.3 22.6Rigidity <strong>of</strong> employment index (0-100) 46 26.3 26.4Redundancy costs (weeks <strong>of</strong> salary) 90 75.8 26.6Source: World Bank Doing Business Nepal 2010.The table confirms the feedback received from investors who identified the existing labour regime as a majorand critical constraint to investment. In particular, hiring and firing regulations and labour unrest are stranglingprivate sector growth across all sectors and are key factors undermining Nepal’s short-term prospects foreconomic growth.Trading Across BordersThis other key area <strong>of</strong> reform that is key to promoting an investment-friendly climate is discussed in moredetail in Chapter 6.Institutional and Policy-level Constraints on Investments in NepalGovernment institutions can play an important role in promoting and facilitating investment and trade,including promoting and implementing business-friendly policies. A dedicated investment promotionintermediary (IPI) or Board <strong>of</strong> Investment (BoI) can play a critical role as a key interlocutor between the privateand public sectors by providing one-stop service to investors, by signaling and advocating investment climateimprovement based on investor feedback, and by addressing existing market failures, including marketing<strong>of</strong> investment opportunities and the provision <strong>of</strong> adequate information on the investment climate. Withoutactive promotion, a small country like Nepal, located between two major investment destinations (India andChina), is unlikely to attract the attention <strong>of</strong> as many potential investors as it would like. In fact, most foreignfirms will not be aware <strong>of</strong> the investment opportunities in Nepal unless Nepal embarks on a serious effort topromote investment opportunities in the country underpinned by attractive policies and effective institutionalarrangements.NEPAL TRADE INTEGRATION STRATEGY 2010BACKGROUND REPORT153

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