English - Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal ...

The Remake of a Stateoptions for the youths of this country who are hungrily looking for viableemployment opportunities. Whatever the private sector actors do, theymust do so sincerely and with high business ethics. They must take upthis challenge and convince the society at large that private sector canindeed play a meaningful and leading role in shaping the socio-economicconditions of this emerging nation.No matter what the stakeholders decide to do, to be competitive in theglobal economy, Nepal needs to create an environment that promotes andsupports investment and business. The government, the labour unions, thedonors and the private sector must work together to create a favourableinvestment climate in which both domestic and foreign investors can beconfident that their operations will be uninterrupted and predictable.Labour, energy and security issues need to be addressed openly, whilethe business community must also be recognised as an essential partnerin the prosperity of the communities they live in.11. ConclusionThe planned development in Nepal of the last five decades has beenunable to address the root causes of conflict. Unless the priorities areset right in the development plans, it will inevitably lead to anotherround of conflict in one form or the other. The private sector is in theposition to play a leading role in shaping the post-conflict socio-economicconditions of a ‘New Nepal.’ For that to happen however, it needs totake a proactive role. It has to learn from the experiences from aroundthe world that in crippling economic conditions and persistently harshbusiness environments (as in the cases of South Africa and Sri Lanka),business communities have been able to contribute, to some extent, tostability and transition of the societies.The private sector, as an important actor in the community, has a vitalrole to play in working with others to transform their societies. Theyshould ensure their commitment through activities that are consonantwith sustainable peace, which has not always been the case. They shouldproactively seek out ways of supporting efforts to develop suitableconflict prevention policies and more inclusive practices, recognising theinterrelationships between conflict and social, political, economic andcultural factors. The business community must come to the forefrontand address the issues of inequalities persistent in our society. Only thenwill they be able to earn respect from the citizens, which in the long run61