Export Promotion Manual for Nepalese Missions Abroad - Chapter IV


Chapter IV


YOUR ENVIRONMENT

You, the officials of diplomatic missions abroad will always have to work under an environment which is different from that at home. You may have to work with people having completely different behavioral pattern and manners with distinctly different cultural, religious, and economic background. The people of the host country generally have different customs, beliefs, habits, laws, morals, practices, attitudes, etc. One has to understand all about these matters and get adjusted with the situation so as to be able to effectively utilize the elements and dynamics therein to the advantage of our national interest, including export promotion. One of the keys to success is learning the language of the host country.

4.1 DIPLOMATIC PROTOCOL

As an official of diplomatic mission, you do have the fundamental training and orientation towards the basics of diplomatic protocols and practices, Nevertheless, reminding yourself to respect the established formalities and codes of behavior of the diplomatic community and follow them during the official and social occasions will also help you to be well absorbed into the business community. Like in diplomatic community it is important to follow the rules of precedence, courtesy and etiquette especially the rank and status, punctuality, proper dressing, arriving before and leaving after the head of the mission in a party, men being presented to women in course of introduction, presenting one's visiting card to persons one meets, etc.

4.2 OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

It is understood that you are one of the officials assigned by the head of your mission under the instruction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the responsibility of trade promotion and other trade related matters in your mission. You, as such an official shall have to work under the direct administrative supervision of the head of your mission. It is assumed that as an official responsible for trade promotion, you will receive adequate funds to carry out your responsibilities. It is also assumed that your environment will have the following features -

4.2.1 Staff
 

  • The officials assigned with commercial/trade promotional responsibilities are required to visit concerned government offices, organizations, chambers of commerce, import promotion offices, business organizations, business centers in other cities, etc as a part of their duties.
  • The officials are entitled to receive secretarial and other services from the locally recruited staff of the mission.

4.2.2 Transport and Communication

  • For duties in connection with trade promotion purposes the assigned official will be provided with the vehicles of the mission. In case of unavailability of official vehicles, taxi fare will be reimbursed.
  • All the communication costs in connection with the Mission's activities relating to promotion of trade will be borne by the Government. The urgency of communication and means of communication will be as decided by the head of the mission.

4.2.3 Filing System

  • The filing system and code should be simple and uniform in all missions. A guide with suggested simplified subjects and codes for export promotion has been presented in Annex V.

4.2.4 Briefing/Debriefing

  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall arrange a briefing programme to the official before he/she leaves the country for his/her duty station.
  • He/She should also visit all concerned offices and get introduced with their chiefs and collect all relevant and latest publications related to trade and commerce of Nepal.
  • At the end of term the official should report to the Ministry and to debrief concerned institutions as well as his/her successor on the status of assignment and related activities..

4.2.5 Training, seminars, conferences, etc.

  • Periodical training should be organized for the officials of diplomatic missions on trade promotion matters jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Trade Promotion Center either in Kathmandu or in one of the centrally located places.
  • The officials of missions should also be given opportunities to attend important meetings related to trade organized by international, regional, and national organizations.

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