KATMANDU: August 23, 2017. The Nepal Freight Forwarders Association has given Qatar Airways Cargo an award for carrying the most export tonnage out of Nepal in 2016.

Now in its 23rd year, the award ceremony recognizes the top three international carriers' support for the country's export sector. This is the ninth time the airline has won such an award.

Qatar Airways Cargo head Ulrich Ogiermann commented: "Nepal is an important market for us, and we are delighted to receive this recognition. Qatar Airways Cargo has always considered its role as fundamental to facilitating international trade to support the Nepalese economy, while ensuring that our customers' needs are at the centre of our business goals."

Last year, the airline uplifted more than 2,700 tonnes of cargo - including garments, carpets and handicrafts – via its Doha hub to Nepal's major export markets in the U.S., Germany and the UK.

Qatar Airways has been flying to Kathmandu since 1995 and now operates 21 A320 flights each week. Some 26 new bellyhold cargo destinations will be added to the airline's network during 2017 and next year – offering Nepalese exporters even more global access for their products.

As a reflection of its continued support for the country, 24 hours after the Nepal earthquake in April 2015 the airline arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport with the first of 12 relief flights delivering 400 tonnes of medicines, food supplies, tents, water filters and generators.

The earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000, was the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake when an estimated 12,000 people died.

And responding to the severe flooding in southern Nepal this month that has caused the deaths of 141 people and affected over six million, the Qatar Red Crescent Society is delivering shelter, water, sanitation and nonfood aid to 20,000 people in the most affected areas.

Continuous heavy rainfall over the past two weeks has caused landslides, damage to infrastructure, disruption of communication and aid delivery, power outages, and destruction of livestock and agricultural resources.

This new emergency comes at a time when Nepal is still struggling to recover from major flooding in 2014 and the 2015 earthquake.