Kathmandu, February 19:

Liqun Jin, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) vice-president of operations arrived in Kathmandu for a four-day long official visit today. Jin is in Nepal at the invitation of government of Nepal to participate in the Nepal Donors Consultation Meeting scheduled for February 21-22 in Kathmandu. He will deliver the opening statement at the meeting on behalf of Nepal’s development partners, ADB states in a press release.

During his visit, Jin is also scheduled to meet PM Girija Prasad Koirala, Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Water Resources Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and Physical Planning and Works Minister Hisila Yami and other senior government officials.

He will discuss ADB’s assistance programmes and hold consultations with various leaders. He is also scheduled to meet with the head of UNMIN Ian Martin and leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

ADB began its lending operations in Nepal from 1969. By 2007, cumulative funding to Nepal totalled $2.5 billion in loans and grants and $127.8 million in technical assistance projects.