Kathmandu, May 1: U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gore, began his political meetings in Nepal by engaging with Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle on Friday.
Gore, who also serves as the U.S. Ambassador to India, arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday evening and met with Nepalese government ministers the following day. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Nepal since the formation of the new government under Prime Minister Balendra Shah on March 27.
During these discussions, both sides expressed their commitment to enhancing economic cooperation and addressing various bilateral issues. After meeting with Finance Minister Wagle, Gore took to social media platform ‘X’ to share, “Our discussions covered several important topics, particularly focusing on improving the business environment, increasing employment through technology, and exploring new opportunities for economic collaboration that would benefit both nations.”
Recently, the U.S. has shown increased interest in investing in Nepal’s technology sector. Elon Musk’s company, Starlink, is in talks with officials to launch its services in the country. Meanwhile, American media giant Netflix is also preparing to enter the Nepalese market. Nepal is looking towards the U.S. for software exports, as IT services have become a significant part of its export sector in recent years.
The Nepalese Finance Ministry reported that discussions also included economic partnerships and U.S. assistance. Previously, the U.S. was Nepal’s largest bilateral donor, but India has surpassed it in the fiscal year 2024-25.
However, the U.S. continues to provide support under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). There has been some controversy surrounding the MCC in Nepal, with critics arguing that it could undermine the country’s sovereignty. The U.S. has dismissed these claims, stating that the initiative aims solely to develop power transmission lines and roads in Nepal, with a financial commitment of $550 million.
The Nepal-India transmission line from Butwal to Gorakhpur is also being constructed under the MCC framework. During the meeting between Foreign Minister Khanal and Gore, they discussed the MCC as well. According to the U.S. Embassy, there was a positive dialogue about enhancing cooperation, boosting trade, and advancing MCC-related projects.
The Nepalese Foreign Ministry noted that both countries emphasized the need to increase investment and trade. In addition to meeting political leaders, Gore is expected to engage with members of Nepal’s business community. It remains unclear whether he will meet Prime Minister Balendra Shah, as Shah is adhering to strict protocols for meetings with foreign leaders.
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