Nepal and Switzerland partner to reintegrate returnee migrant workers in Nepal

Kathmandu: Nepal and Switzerland have signed an agreement to implement the Reintegration of Returnee Migrant Workers (ReMi) program phase 1.

The agreement was signed and exchanged between Ishwori Prasad Aryal, Joint Secretary and Head of International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division (IECCD), Ministry of Finance, and Silvana Hogg, Chargée d’ Affaires a.i., Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal on behalf of their respective governments.

The overall goal of the program is to support returnee migrant workers to re-establish themselves in Nepal by enhancing their economic and social well-being, the Swiss Embassy in Kathmandu said in a press release.

The program will do so through access to economic opportunities and building social capital. It will particularly support returnee migrants through information, counseling, referral to existing economic opportunities to find an income-generating activity, re-establish social ties and networks, and strengthen their psychosocial well-being, thereby increasing their chances for successful reintegration, reads the statement.

“The program will further collaborate with all three spheres of government to develop and implement policy frameworks on reintegration matters.”

Happy to announce🇨🇭signed the bi-lat agreement with @MofaNepal to implement Reintegration of Returnee Migrants programme. Through collaboration with 3⃣ spheres of the govt, it will support returnee migrants to re-establish themselves & enhance their economic & social well-being. pic.twitter.com/nO9yVGy560

— Ambassador Elisabeth von Capeller (@SwissAmbNepal) June 8, 2022

The program will be implemented in Province 1 and Madesh province in close collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social security, as well as provincial and local governments.

The total budget of the program is 6.8 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to Rs. 861.3 million) which is foreseen to benefit 90,000 people in the two provinces.