• NC too is not opposed to the agreement. Parliamentary ratification is a mere formality

Kathmandu, December 25

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali today said the government decided to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Programme after carefully thinking it over, and that the agreement would be endorsed from the Parliament.

“The agreement was signed by the government led by the Nepali Congress and the then CPN-MC,” said Gyawali. “Now that the CPN-MC and CPN-UML have unified to become NCP and the main opposition NC too is not opposed to the agreement, parliamentary ratification is a mere formality.”

Gyawali added that there was a wrong perception that the Nepal government could not conduct audit of projects under the MCC Compact. He said even the independent auditor is selected by the Millennium Challenge Account, the implementing body based in Nepal and chaired by the finance secretary of Nepal. “Nepal can very much conduct audit,” he said.

Gyawali said there was nothing wrong in being cautious and inquisitive about possible hidden motives in agreements reached with bigger countries. However, too much skepticism and dragging every such agreement into controversy will only jeopardise Nepal’s credibility, he added.

“We need to think whether we’ve become too sensitive about development matters,” said Gyawali. He was referring to the debt trap debate on BRI, arguments like over-dependence on India while building cross-border pipeline and ongoing debate over felling trees for Nijgad airport.

“Nationalism cannot be strengthened without being economically strong,” he added.