Finance Minister Paudel and IMF Mission Chief Discuss ECF Review and Structural Reforms

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel met with Sarwat Jahan, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, for a courtesy call at the Ministry of Finance today.

The discussion centered around the ongoing sixth review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), structural reform progress, and related economic matters, according to the Minister's secretariat.

Nepal had secured an ECF arrangement from the IMF in 2022, amounting to USD 395.9 million—equivalent to 180 percent of the country’s quota under the Special Drawing Rights (SDR). The facility was introduced to help stabilize Nepal’s economy following a sharp decline in foreign exchange reserves that had strained the balance of payments. The credit is to be repaid in installments over four years, providing vital support to budgetary and macroeconomic stability.

The IMF mission team is currently in Nepal as part of its regular assessment of the loan program’s implementation and the country’s reform commitments.