ADB appreciates Nepal’s breakthrough in peace, constitution drafting process

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appreciated Nepal’s serious efforts and recent progress towards concluding the peace and constitution drafting process.

“The conclusion of challenging peace and political transition process will pave the way for the government to focus closely on its economic development and reform agendas to put Nepal on a much faster and sustainable growth path.” said Zhao Xiaoyu, Asian Development Bank (ADB) vice-president of Operations.

Zhao Xiaoyu who concluded his two-day visit to Nepal had held meeting with Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Minister of Finance Barsha Man Pun and other senior government officials and appreciated the steady and fast progress in reducing poverty in the recent years.

He expressed optimism that Nepal would meet a majority of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, including those on poverty, education, access to clean water supply, and child and maternal mortality.

He also expressed ADB’s commitment to working closely with the government of Nepal and other stakeholders in helping further reduce poverty and promote inclusive growth for all Nepalis.

Zhao also sought active participation of the government in formulating ADB’s new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS: 2013–2017) for Nepal.

He said ADB would seek to respond to Nepal's critical development needs, emerging opportunities, and priorities.

Zhao further emphasised the need to expedite implementation of ongoing projects by strengthening institutional capacities and systems, to demonstrate effective aid utilization and draw increased assistance from development partners including ADB.

Zhao also introduced ADB’s new Director General for South Asia Juan Miranda to the government. Miranda assumed office in April 2012. Nepalnews.com