Nepal and Germany have signed a joint declaration of intent (JDoI) on the skill labor migration and knolwdge Exchange on 10 October at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany.

Ram Kaji Khadka, Ambassador of Nepal to Germany and Michael van der Cammen, Director, lnternational Affairs, German Federal Employment Agency signed the JDol on behalf of their respective governments in presence of Sharat Singh Bhandari, Minister for Labouq Employment and Social Security of Nepal and Ms. Leonie Gebers, State Secretary (Depuy Minister) of Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany.

The signing of the JDol was preceded by a bilateral meeting between the high-level Nepali delegation led by Minister and the high-level German delegation led by the State Secretary (Deputy Minister).

On the occasion, the leaders of two delegations shared views, primarily, on the agenda of Nepal-Germany bilateral relations, skilled labour migration, Nepal's commitment to legal migration, workers' welfare and social security, German language and vocational training, and circular migration.

During the meeting, the two leaders expressed happiness over the growing relations between the two countries in recent years and stated that the signing of the JDol would be the first step in the roadmap towards fair and legal labour migration from Nepal to Germany. Minister Bhandari also expressed Nepal's willingness to collaborate with the friendly Government of Germany in all sectors of mutual benefits. Ms. Gebers also stated that the signing of the JDol would open the way forward for institutional arrangement in immigrating Nepali skilled workers as per the need of the German job market.

She also highlighted the positive sides of the recent German Skilled lmmigration Act which has eased the process of recruiting foreign skilled workers in Germany.

The Nepali delegation being led by Minister included Kewal Prasad Bhandari, Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Ram Kaji Khadka, Ambassador of Nepal to Germany, and other officials from the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Embassy of Nepal, Berlin.

The German delegation led by Ms. Gebers included the high-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Federal Employment Agency and other relevant Departments of Germany.

On 09 October 2O23, the Nepali delegation held discussions with the delegation of lnternational Labour Organization (lLO) Berlin Bureau led by Dr. Annette Niederfranke, Director at the Embassy of Nepal, Berlin.

During the meeting, various labour related issues including welfare of workers, measures against the exploitation and trafficking of workers, inclusive foreign employment and reintegration of migrant workers in the county of origin were discussed. ln the afternoon, the Nepali delegation participated in an interaction program with the Nepali diaspora living in Germany organized by the Embassy.

The Nepali delegation is holding a meeting with the representatives of private sectors of Germany on l-1 October 2023. The delegation is scheduled to leave Germany for Nepal on L2 October 2023.