ADB urges Nepal to address infrastructure deficits

KATHMANDU, APR 26 -

The Asian Development Bank has stressed on the need to urgently addressing infrastructure deficits of power, transport, and water in Nepal to stimulate private sector investments, and create much needed employment opportunities.

Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Nepal on Wednesday, ADB Vice-president of Operations Zhao Xiaoyu urged the Nepal government to establish enabling policy environment, building capacities, and exploring innovative approaches such as public private partnership to address infrastructure bottleneck.

Underscoring the need for active partnership from the government to prepare ADB’s new country partnership strategy (2013-2017), Zhao said that the ADB would seek to respond to Nepal’s critical development needs, emerging opportunities and priorities.

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

During his stay, he met with Prime Minster Baburam Bhattarai, Finance Minister Barsaman Pun and other senior government officials and appreciated Nepal’s steady and fast progress in reducing poverty in the recent years.

Zhao 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 introduced ADB’s new Director General for

South Asia Juan Miranda to the government.

Source: Kantipur