On The Occasion Of National Day Of Australia
Cooperation Based On Deep Friendship

By Arun Ranjit

2002 marks the 18th year of the establishment of the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu.

Today, the 26th day of January (every year) all the Australian whether they are at home or abroad celebrate the National Day with great pride and national rejoicing. Thus, being one of the good friends of Australia it is also a day of rejoicing for the people of Nepal as well.

Since the people of Nepal and Australia are bound in a strong tie of friendship and brotherhood it is natural for the Nepalese people to express their happiness on this occasion and offer good wishes for their prosperity, unity and happiness.

Australia is the sixth largest nation in the world in land area but has, however, a relatively small population. It’s Gross National Product (GNP) is large for a nation with a less than 20 million population. It is the only nation to govern an entire continent and its outlying islands. The main is the largest island and the smallest, flattest continent on earth that lies between 10-degree and 39-degree South latitude.

Apart from Antarctica, Australia is the driest continent. It does have well-watered fertile areas, which it uses very effectively to help feed the world. Sheep and cattle graze on dry land but care must be taken with the soil.

Australia has a remarkable diversity of life forms seen nowhere else in the world. It’s multi-cultural society includes its indigenous peoples and shelters from countries all around the world. Immigration is an important feature of Australian society. Since 1945, almost 5.5 million have come to Australia as new settlers. Migrants have made major contribution to shaping modern Australia.

Nepal-Australia relation has always been warm and cordial ever since the establishment of diplomatic relationship between the two countries. Even though the levels of economic development and physical distance separate Nepal and Australia but have always been close through mutual understanding, goodwill and cooperation.

Australia has generously assisted Nepal in its development efforts since 1960 in the area of soil conservation to community forestry, health to literacy, environmental protection to watershed management, small scale projects to rural area development programme, projects aimed at eradicating child labour and promoting universal respect for human rights. The Australian volunteers from the overseas service bureau, Rotarian, scouts and medical groups have extended contributions to the development projects of Nepal.

Australian assistance provided in the civil aviation sector has contributed to increase the numbers of the international tourists coming to Nepal. The Australian government’s assistance to Nepal for meeting the problems of Bhutanese refugees in Eastern Nepal is also remarkable.

Tilaganga Eye Hospital in Kathmandu established under the cooperation of the Australian government has emerged as the important centre not only for the prevention of blindness in Nepal but also for the cataract removal and eyesight restoration. This center has become the living monument of the friendship existing between the two countries.

Nepal highly appreciates the friendship and the common position that Nepal and Australia have in many international forum.

The government of Australia has been taking keen interest in the well being of Nepalese people since the time of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship. The cooperation extended to Nepal in her development efforts bears witness to fact that the Australian government has strong commitment and keen interest in the all-round development of Nepal. The Australian cooperation is based on deep friendship generous commitment, goodwill and mutual understanding between these two countries.

The people of the both countries have also been playing the pivotal role in strengthening the ties.

Many Nepalese students have got opportunity to study in Australia under the AusAID scholarship and visits of the Royal family to Australia and visits of Australian Governor General, ministers, parliamentarians as well as other high level government officials, cultural troupes, sports team and other visits at the people’s level have cemented the chapter of Nepal-Australia friendship.

As Nepal and Australia have excellent relations both at the government and people’s level, Australia is an important donor country in many areas of socio-economic development of Nepal. A large number of Australian tourists visit Nepal every year and the island continent is among the top ten markets for Nepal.

Although two-way trade and Australian investment in Nepal are modest, the broad commercial relationship continues to develop. Australia imports from Nepal include garments and handicrafts while it exports mainly zinc, lead, food and beverages.

Besides this, various private sectors have been encouraged by the policies of the Nepalese government. Thus, there is scope for further expansion and diversification of the economic relationship and private sector involvement in the fields such as services and commodities, trade, power generation, civil aviation, telecommunications, tourism and mining.

Many Australian companies and individual business people are active in Nepal in diverse range of fields from banking to civil engineering and design, air navigational and control system to air transportation, eco to adventure tourism.

The Australian government observed 1997/98 as its year of South Asia, during which it placed special emphasis on strengthening and expanding links with Nepal and other countries of South Asia. There have been various cultural programmes and the business-oriented survey of Nepal’s economy that has added a springboard for further development of the relationship.

Both Nepal and Australia are beautiful countries endowed with unparallel natural beauty and an opulent cultural heritage. There are many things that Nepal could learn from Australia in the area of eco-tourism management.

If direct air access between the two countries is established, it can further boost the bilateral ties and also will help to serve around 15,000 Australian tourists who visit Nepal every year.

Thus, there should be frequent visits at various levels to share the experiences of development made by sea locked Australia for the development of the land locked Nepal.

So, today on the occasion of the National Day of Australia, mutual friendship between Nepal and Australia at government and people’s level may further deepen in the days to come.

Long live Nepal-Australia friendship.

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