By Karuna Thapa
Kathmandu, March 21
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Director-General has expressed its commitment to Nepal’s post-epidemic recovery and development goal.
During a four-day visit to Nepal, Kenichi Yokoyama, Director General of the Bank for South Asia, made the promise while meeting with members of the Council of Ministers, Secretaries to the Government of Nepal, and leaders of development initiatives.
According to the ADB Residential Office here, he emphasized the ADB’s commitment to continue supporting the Government of Nepal’s development initiatives during the bilateral meeting. Director-General Yokoyama has been the Bank’s Country Director in Nepal for over six years.
”I am delighted to meet with senior government officials in Kathmandu to discuss ADB’s activities in Nepal, our collaboration, and major strategic initiatives.” ”The bank is dedicated to aiding Nepal in its inclusive recovery,” stated the bank’s director-general, Yokoyama.
He emphasized the importance of focusing on structural reforms and quality infrastructure and human capital investment to further encourage private sector investment, including foreign direct investment, by transferring services at the local level, and expressed confidence that this would contribute to high economic growth by increasing productivity in agriculture, production, and services.
He spoke with Finance Minister Janardan Sharma during his visit and complemented the government’s efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak and its impact on public health, health security, and the economy.
He also met with Ministers of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale, Water Supply Minister Uma Kanta Chaudhary, Minister of Urban Development Ram Kumari Jhakri, Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Pampha Bhusal, and Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Renu Kumari Yadav, as well as secretaries of various ministries and other senior government officials, project staff, and development partners. He had a variety of meetings as well.
