The 5th Middle East Regional Meeting of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) was held last weekend at the Millennium Hotel in Doha. 
Non-resident Nepali leaders from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Lebanon joined the more than 100 participants in the conference. 
Dr Shesh Ghale, president of NRNA’s International Coordination Council (NRNA-ICC); Bigyan Raj Sharma, Additional Inspector General in Nepal Police; Shatrughan Prasad Pudasaini, Director General of Foreign Employment Department of Government of Nepal; Krishna Parsad Acharya, CEO Employees Provident Fund; and Mani Ratna Sharma, Charge de Affairs at the Nepal embassy in Doha; attended the inaugural programme. This was the second time the regional conference was being hosted in Doha. 
The programme was presided over by DB Chettri, former Middle East co-ordinator of NRNA. Dharma Giri, also a former Middle East co-ordinator of NRNA, gave the welcome speech. 
In his speech, Charge de Affairs Sharma said the embassy has always co-operated with NRNA and wishes to do the same going forward. “We should all work to strengthen the relationship between the two countries (Qatar and Nepal),” Sharma said. 
NRNA-ICC president Dr Ghale said everyone should discourage human trafficking and the exploitation of Nepalis by Nepalis. He also stressed on the financial transparency of all chapters of NRNA. “Each chapter should send its financial report to ICC,” Ghale said. He added that NRNA always co-ordinates and co-operates with the Nepali government to work towards the welfare of Nepali expatriates. 
Foreign Employment Department Director General Pudasaini said the government is bringing some positive changes to the process of labour migration. “The government is working to increase the insurance amount of deceased migrant workers to Rs100,000, and we are also discussing [setting up of a] pension fund for foreign-bound Nepali workers.”
AIG Bigyan Raj said Nepal Police is planning to appoint Police Attaches in countries in the Middle East. He added that Nepalis should think of police as their “best friends,” instead of fearing them. He highlighted the need for worker training before they leave Nepal. They should also be told about their basic rights and their destination country’s law, he added. 
The NRNA also issued a declaration after the meeting. The declaration lists the need of diplomatic missions in Lebanon and Iraq; a consulate in Dubai; the need to start direct flights from Kathmandu to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait; and the need to promote tourism in Nepal. 
Other sessions of the conference were on “Self-Disciplined Foreign Employment,” moderated by Sujan KC; “Provident Fund for Migrant Workers,” moderated by DB Chhetri; and “Women in Foreign Employment,” moderated by Safila Rajbhandari.
Kumar Karki gave a seminar on tourism and cultural promotion in Gulf countries. Entrepreneur RK Sharma delivered a lecture on challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship in the region. The day ended with a musical programme and dinner at Al Dana Club, sponsored by Pigeon Engineering Trading and Contracting Company.