World Bank marks five decades of partnership with Nepal

The World Bank Group commemorated its five decade of operations in Nepal amid a programme in the Capital, on Monday.

Over the span of 50 years, the bank’s support has evolved in focus and form to meet the changing needs of Nepal. This partnership however has always maintained a primary purpose - the reduction of poverty to raise the living standards of the Nepali people.

Speaking at the programme, Isabel Guerrero, World Bank Vice President for South Asia said that Nepal has made progress despite the decade-long conflict.

"In the days to come, the government needs to promote inclusive growth, accelerate human development, close to the infrastructure gaps, create favourable environment for growth of private sector and promote good governance," she added.

Minister for Home and Foreign Affairs Madhav Prasad Ghimire said that government has given priority to infrastructure development, promotion of sustainable energy development public sector governance reform. "The most important thing is to continue the partnership between the bank and the government," he said.

World Bank Country manager Tahseen Sayed, Chief Secretary Lila Mani Poudel, Finance secretary Shanta Raj Subedi also shed light on the the partnership between Nepal and the World Bank.

On the occasion, a special commemorative stamp issued by the Department of Postal Services were also made public.

According to the the WB, 90 projects funded by the bank have already been completed, work on 38 others are under way and two are in the pipeline. nepalnews.com