PM, visiting US official discuss foreign investment in Nepal

KATHMANDU: The United States Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, William E Todd, called on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the latter's office in Singha Darbar on Thursday.

During the meeting, the Nepali Prime Minister and the visiting American official held discussion on foreign investment in Nepal among other issues.

After the meeting, the US Ambassador to Nepal, Alaina B. Teplitz, posted a tweet which said the meeting centred on the "necessary policies and regulatory framework needed to create a good investment climate in Nepal".

Good meeting w/@PM_Nepal & PDAS Todd on the necessary policies & regulatory framework needed to create a good investment climate in #Nepal

— Alaina B. Teplitz (@USAmbNepal) June 9, 2016

On the occasion, Todd told the Prime Minister that he would encourage the US investors to come to Nepal as the country was safe for investment, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

According to Pramod Dahal, press advisor to the PM, “Issues relating to the Constitution and its implementation, reconstruction after the earthquake, bilateral relationship between the two countries and the American assistance in the economic development of Nepal were discussed during the meeting.”

During the meeting, PM Oli had informed the US official about the ongoing issues in Nepal including the implementation of Constitution. Oli also said he was for finding consensus on the disputed issues among political parties through peaceful talks, rather than indulging in protests.

He also emphasised on the need to establish a healthy trade relation between the two nations, lauding the US government’s decision to grant duty-free access to 66 Nepali products.

They also discussed the issues related to the ongoing Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting in Washington DC and Millennium Challenge Corporation’s decision to put Nepal in its support list.