Paras Kharel is Executive Director at South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), a Kathmandu-based think tank. He has a PhD in Economics (University of Melbourne) with specialization in international trade and applied microeconometrics. His publications include two edited volumes on South Asian cooperation/integration, and articles in peer-reviewed journals such as Review of International Economics, International Economics, East Asian Economic Review, and Review of Development Economics.