Nepal's Graduation and the WTO

The Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) hosted a guest lecture titled “Nepal's Graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) Status and its Relationship with the World Trade Organization (WTO),” drawing a diverse audience of students, faculty, and industry professionals. The event featured distinguished speakers including Professor Dr. Achyut Wagle, Registrar of Kathmandu University, and Dr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Secretariat at the WTO. The presence of representatives from government and international organizations, such as Ms. Rafael Quintard (EIF Secretariat), Ms. Mona Shrestha (Gender and Development Practitioner), and Mr. Asish Khatri (MoICS), underscored the collaborative approach to addressing Nepal’s evolving trade and development landscape.
The session aimed to deepen understanding of Nepal’s upcoming transition from LDC status and its implications for trade policy and global integration. In parallel, the event emphasized the importance of equipping stakeholders with creative problem-solving and innovation skills. Participants were introduced to design thinking methodologies, including techniques for empathizing with end-users, diagnosing business challenges, and developing and validating practical solutions. This dual focus on policy insight and capacity building highlighted the critical intersection of academic discourse, strategic planning, and entrepreneurial innovation in Nepal’s development trajectory.