The Fonepay Digital Economy Conclave 2022 (second edition) has concluded today. Brandworth Pvt. Ltd. is the organizer of this event.
The main purpose of this conclave was to bring in the people from various business and policy spectrums in a single platform so as to open discussions on making the economy stronger with digital transformation.
Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Minister for Information and Communication and Communications and Spokesperson for the Administration of Nepal, claimed that digital payments were a top priority for the government. He stated that the government would deploy the program’s findings and incorporate them into policymaking. He also stated that this program will aid in the development of implementation of the Digital Nepal Framework.
Similarly, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari praised the advancement of digitization in the payment system. He claimed that following the Covid-19 pandemic period, Nepal has made significant progress in digital payment.
According to him, a few years ago, questions would raise like- “When would Nepal’s economy would be digitized ?” However, he said that there was no such question today as Nepal’s economy has been widely digitized in the last two years.
Visa Group Country Manager for South Asia and India Sandeep Ghosh delivered the keynote speech at the Conclave. He said that Nepal has made great strides in digital payments in recent days.
First Session: Changed Times, Changed Economy
Speakers at the panel discussion on the first session of the Conclave on ‘Changed Times, Changed Economy‘ included Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Nilam Dhangana, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology Uttar Kumar Khatri, and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Mahesh Acharya.
The speakers at the event stated that infrastructure development is necessary for the development of the digital economy. They opined that as the economy has lately been digitized, infrastructure, such as data centers, should be constructed to complete the process. They indicated that the building of necessary infrastructure would be a step forward in the economy’s digitization.
Second Session: “Creating Impact That Lasts”
In the second session, there was a discussion on ‘Creating Impact That Lasts‘. Bahar Kumar, Director, Impact Hub, and Ruchi Pandey, Director, Dori Nguyen Fusemachines, Managing Director, Utopia, were present at the discussion.
In this session, the issue of giving opportunities to women in digital economy was discussed. The speakers were of the view that the economy is differently conducive for women.
Third Session: “Nepal: Small Market or Endless Possibilities?”
In the third session, ‘Nepal: Small Market or Endless Possibilities?‘ The subject was brought forward for discussion. Ashutosh Tiwari, Founder of Safal Partners, Ram Krishna Khatiwada, Chief Executive Officer of NIFRA, Shree Baba Pokhrel, Economist, and Vidushi Rana, Executive Director of Goldstar were among those who took part in the conversation, which was moderated by journalist Janardan Baral.
The speakers in this session emphasized Nepal’s limitless potential, despite the fact that it is a small country.
Fourth Session: “When will we have a Nepali Unicorn?”
When will we have a Nepali Unicorn identity in the fourth session? The discussion was hosted by Anil Keshari Shah, CEO of Nabil Bank, and included panelists like Hemraj Dhakal, Managing Director of IME Group, Vidyavaridi Sigdel, Managing Director of Dolma Impact Fund, Lokesh Todi, Chairman of Avsar Equity, and Usha Khati, CEO of NRN Infrastructure and Development Ltd. In this session, the panelists discussed on the requirements of Nepalese startups to become the unicorn company.
The conclave was organized keeping in mind the fact that the economy is taking a leap towards digitization as Nepalis have become accustomed to many dimensions of digital technology after Covid- 19. The sessions were attended by key stakeholders of the Nepali digital economy, regulatory bodies, and representatives of the private sector. Visa was the corporate sponsor of the conclave, with FonePay being the main sponsor.
The closing remarks was presented by Biswas Dhakal, President of F1 Soft International.
Also Read: Nepal Budget 2079/80; What are the Key Allocations for Tech, Startups, and Innovation
