Kathmandu: The Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu, in collaboration with the Economic Division of the Embassy of Israel in New Delhi, organized today a Programme about Israel’s Telecommunications Industries and “Telecom Israel 2004” at Hotel Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. The programme, which was aimed to familiarize Nepali business sector with Israel’s Advanced Telecommunications Industries and “Telecom Israel 2004”, a large scale international exhibition which will be held this year in Israel from 8-11 November providing a panoramic, up-to-date spectacle with special focus on the contribution of the Israeli telecommunication industry to the rapid advance of communication and information technologies. This event was inaugurated by Mr. Mukunda Raj Sharma Poudyal, Secretary of Ministry of information and Communications.
Senior officials of Government organizations, heads of Economic establishments and representatives of private companies dealing with telecommunications and IT attended the programme.
While inaugurating programme Secretary Poudyal said that the application of information and communication technology is becoming indispensable in every walk of life and its role in the socio-economic development of a nation cannot be ignored. He further said that the unprecedented research and development activities conducted in various parts of the globe, Israel stands as one of the forerunners in this field.
He also mentioned that Nepal, being the first nation in this region to recognize Israel as a state and establish diplomatic relation with her, has been fully supported by Israel of the Nepalese endeavor towards progress and development.
Secretary Poudyal reminded that Nepal Telcom, the largest fixed lines operator and the only GSM operator in the kingdom of Nepal had in the past brought in GSM system from an Israeli supplier company namely – Telrad, when NTC first launched GSM service in Nepal in 1997 and it has proved so reliable that Nepal Telecom is still operating the whole system in the country.
Welcoming the participants at the programme, H.E. Mr. Dan Ben-Eliezer, Ambassador of Israel to Nepal said that Israel has a leading edge in information technology and telecommunication and continuously attracts the world’s attention and attains a position among the top competence centers worldwide.
Ambassador Ben-Eliezer further said that Israel as a good friend is happily ready and willing to share its technical know-how with Nepal in many fields including telecommunications. He added that there is much to do in this sector and this is a time for us to work together to transfer our long-standing friendly relationship into the economic prosperities for our peoples and nations. The Ambassador expressed his hope that Nepali people will attend the “Telecom Israel 2004” exhibition in Israel.
Ambassador Ben-Eliezer opined that accelerated development and mobilization of information and communication technology sector in Nepal could play a vital role in poverty reduction and speedy economic growth and can support and play an important role to increase awareness among the people, and bring them together in the process of nation building.
While addressing the programme, Mr. Binod Bahadur Shrestha, President, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry hoped that these events would further help to strengthen and promote cooperation in the filed of agriculture, telecommunication, ICT and investment between the two countries. He further said that Israel has made phenomenal progress in telecommunication sector in the recent past.