Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali made the commitment on behalf of Nepal government in a meeting with Vice President of Millennium Challenge Corporation, Department of Compact Operations Anthony Welcher and Deputy Vice President Jonathon Brooks Department of Compact Operations in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America in New York on Wednesday.

Minister Gyawali informed the MCC officials that Nepal has enlisted the project to be implemented with funding support from MCC as the national pride project. It may be noted that the US government is providing Rs 50 billion to the government of Nepal for the implementation of a project in the area of energy and transport. On the occasion, the MCC authorities enquired minster Gyawali about the procedural progress of the project supposed to be implemented from mid-June 2020.

The project will construct 318-kilometer-long 400 kV high-voltage transmission lines and three high-capacity substations, including building 1,039 transmission line towers across the alignment and maintenance of the maximum 300-km strategic road. Minister Gyawali informed the US authorities that the compact project will get endorsed from the parliament in the winter session. He also shared the progress regarding approval for undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment, land acquisition and construction of trans-border transmission lines. The Minister assured the US authorities that the Nepal government would rapidly complete all the works required for the implementation of the energy and transport projects under MCC highlighting the initiatives as a symbol of Nepal-US cordial relation.

Under the project, MCC and the Government of Nepal will work together to prioritize critical infrastructure needs in the power and road transport sectors in Nepal, which were identified as key constraints to economic growth in a joint analysis. The MCC compact is considered significant for alleviating Nepal’s poverty as well as for propelling sustainable socio-economic development.