PM Shah meets ADB President Kanda to reinforce development partnership

July 7, Kathmandu: Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Balendra Shah today to discuss strengthening the six-decade-long development partnership between Nepal and the regional lender.

During the 30-minute meeting held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, both sides reaffirmed their bilateral commitments to long-term economic collaboration.

According to Dipa Dahal, the Prime Minister’s Press and Research Expert, Prime Minister Shah expressed confidence that Nepal is poised to achieve a major development breakthrough driven by enhanced good governance and institutional transparency.

The high-level talks yielded positive consensus on positioning hydropower and tourism as the core pillars of the national economy. The two leaders further discussed expanding joint cooperation in nationwide digitalization frameworks and the upgrading of strategic tourism road infrastructure.

President Kanda pledged to expand the ADB’s development assistance portfolio in Nepal, assuring that the bank will remain a dedicated, long-term partner in the country’s pursuit of economic stability and prosperity. He highly commended Nepal’s vast economic potential, strong democratic mandate, and vibrant youth-led governance, describing the nation’s contemporary leadership and rigid commitment to structural reform as deeply inspiring.