PM holds high-level meetings

 Kathmandu, May 16

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli remained busy holding a series of high-level courtesy meetings on Friday, coinciding with Nepal’s first-ever Sagarmatha Sambaad, a global dialogue on climate change and resilience.

Indian Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, met Prime Minister Oli at his official residence in Baluwatar and expressed gratitude for inviting to the event. Stressing the significance of Everest as the 'roof of the world', he called for collective efforts to protect it.

PM Oli thanked him for his participation and emphasised the need for regional cooperation, especially on environmental issues such as glacier protection and transboundary pollution from crop burning, the Prime Minister's Secretariat informed in a statement.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba and Minister Yadav also held separate meeting at the sidelines of the Sambaad. Their talks were focused on India–Nepal relations and joint efforts on biodiversity conservation. They welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two nations in this field.

Bangladesh’s Minister for Social Welfare, Sharmeen Soneya Murshid, also paid a courtesy call on PM Oli. Leading the Bangladeshi delegation to the Sambaad, she discussed long-standing bilateral relations and cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh.

Likewise, World Bank's Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser, met with PM Oli t and discussed ongoing collaborations in economic development and social upliftment.

The Prime Minister appreciated the WB’s continued support and shared Nepal’s commitment to improving public finance and accelerating project delivery through the upcoming budget. The Bank has invested 19 sectors including energy, transport, education, and health sectors in Nepal.

Meanwhile, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank Fatima Yasmin held high-level meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh and Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Dipak Khadka. The discussions focused on advancing climate-resilient infrastructure and urban planning strategies to support Nepal’s long-term development goals, the ADB informed in a statement.

Reiterating ADB’s commitment to supporting climate-resilient infrastructure, she praised Nepal’s leadership in hosting the Sagarmatha Sambaad.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 May 2025.