Nepali Pashmina entrepreneurs and Mongolian officials have reached an understanding to collaborate for quality testing and analysis of wool fibres and to exchange knowledge and research works in the sector.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association (NPIA) and the Research and Development Institute of Light Industry (RDILI) of the Mongolian government in Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday.

Vijoy Dugar, the president of the NPIA, and Turmunkh Togmid, the Director of the RDILI, signed the pact on behalf of their respective agencies, in the presence of Madhu Kumar Marasini, secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and Jambaltseren Tumur-Uya, state secretary of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia.

Under the MoU, Nepali pashmina entrepreneurs will get samples of pashmina fibre, semi-processed wools, and woollen products tested and analysed by RDILI in Mongolia.

Similarly, both parties have also agreed to share experience, knowledge, and research with each other in the coming days.

The MoU was signed on the sideline of the World Export Development Forum (WEDF) 2023 organised by the International Trade Centre in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, which was also attended by a Nepali delegation involving senior government officials and private sector representatives.

The event offered diverse sessions aimed at discussing a wide range of issues pertaining to the export promotion of least-developed countries.

Businesspeople, policymakers, representatives of development partner agencies, and experts discussed regional business connectivity, business voices of landlocked countries, business networking, youth and women participation in businesses, and digital transformation with local innovation.

The EU-funded Trade and Investment supported the participation of Nepali pashmina entrepreneurs at the four-day event that kicked off on Monday.

NPIA was among the 130 companies that participated in the B2B meetings during the WEDF in Mongolia.

“The MoU is a significant step towards securing benefits from Mongolia's experience in woollen and Cashmere production and export and exchanges of various research and innovation in this field,” said Marasini.

Jambaltseren Tumur-Uya, Director of RDILI, said, “The MoU paves the way for Mongolia’s support on quality testing and analysis of Nepali cashmere products from Nepal, expansion of business relations between the two countries and, exchange of knowledge and research works in this field.”

NPIA President Dugar, said, “This MoU provides an opportunity for Nepali pashmina entrepreneurs to take benefits from the long experience and expertise of Mongolia which is a leading producer and exporter of cashmere and woollen products.”

Officials from Nepal and Mongolia also discussed concerns to be raised by Landlocked Developed Countries (LLDCs) at international forums. They stressed the need to establish solidarity among LLDCs to uphold their common interests and agenda.