Nepal requests loan conversion for Pokhara airport from China
The Nepalese government has formally requested China to convert the loan used for the construction of the Pokhara Regional International Airport into a grant. This appeal was communicated through an official letter from Nepal’s Ministry of Finance to Chinese authorities.
On Thursday, Dhaniram Sharma, Chief of the International Financial Aid Coordination Division at the Ministry of Finance, presented the request to Yang Weigun, Vice Chair of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). The presentation occurred during an event at Nepal’s Ministry of Finance, where Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel urged China to consider the conversion due to Nepal’s current economic challenges and the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
Additionally, the event featured the signing of four cooperation agreements between Nepal and China. These agreements include:
– Construction of an 8.2 km road segment from Kalanki to Bashundhara and Maharajgunj along Kathmandu’s Ring Road.
– Upgrading of the Hilsa-Simikot road section to two lanes.
– Construction of an Integrated Check Post (ICP) and Inland Container Depot (ICD) at the Korala transit point in Mustang.
– Feasibility study for the maintenance and improvement of the Araniko Highway, including landslide control measures.
The agreements were signed by Finance Secretary Dr. Ghimire on behalf of the Nepalese government and Yang Weigun representing CIDCA.
