Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B Rogers has said that the enduring partnership between Nepal and the United States, adventure tourism, entrepreneurship, innovation and people-to-people ties are taking bilateral cooperation to new heights.
Addressing the 2026 Ascent Summit in Kathmandu today as the keynote speaker, Rogers added that such ties would increase the involvement of American companies in Nepal and help expand opportunities for economic growth and job creation.
At a time when Nepal is establishing itself as an international hub for adventure tourism centered around Mount Everest and the Himalayas, the participation and perspectives of a high-level US official are expected to open new avenues in tourism, technology, investment and people-to-people relations.
The summit saw participation of Chair of the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives Sumnima Udas, renowned US mountaineer Conrad Anker, mountaineering activists, innovators, rescue workers, mountaineering equipment entrepreneurs, journalists and leaders from the tourism sector.
Emphasizing the need for modern technology, safety standards, enhanced rescue capacity and international cooperation for the development of safe, sustainable and responsible tourism in the Himalayas, Rogers said environmental conservation would remain a key priority for the future.
Organized in partnership with the Nepal Tourism Board, the US Embassy in Kathmandu and Seven Summit Treks, the Ascent Summit has brought together more than 1,400 participants to discuss the future of Everest and mountain tourism. The event featured in-depth discussions on how Nepal’s mountaineering heritage and American innovation can make mountaineering safer, more organized and sustainable.
Sarah, who arrived in Kathmandu from New Delhi on Saturday, is also scheduled to meet senior government officials, representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce and alumni of various academic and exchange programs, according to the US Embassy in Kathmandu.
The visit has reaffirmed the United States’ intention to expand its seven-decade-long partnership with Nepal into tourism, technology, innovation and private sector collaboration. This transition from an aid-driven relationship to one focused on economic opportunity and partnership is seen as positive for both countries.
She will also visit the historic Patan Durbar Square as well as seven US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) sites to showcase the US support for Nepal’s cultural heritage preservation and underscore US commitment to protecting sites that remain central to Nepali community life, religious practice, and tourism economy, according to the embassy.
