Finance Minister Pun off to US to attend IMF, World Bank meetings

KATHMANDU: Minister for Finance, Barsha Man Pun, left for the United States early Monday morning to attend the Spring Meetings of the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The ministerial meetings are scheduled for April 17-19, while other activities will kick off from Monday.

According to the IMF, the Spring Meetings bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, parliamentarians, private sector executives, representatives from civil society organizations, and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness. The meetings feature seminars, regional briefings, press conferences, and many other events focused on the global economy.

Minister Pun is leading a four-member Nepali delegation to the Spring Meetings. Shreekrishna Nepal, chief of the International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division of the ministry; Kanchan Basnet, chief of the World Bank Desk under the division; and Minister Pun’s personal secretary Bhupal Raj Shakya are in the team.

The finance minister is scheduled to meet the World Bank Managing Director for Operations Anna Bjerde, the World Bank Regional Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser, the World Bank Vice President of Development Finance Akihiko Nishio, Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank Guangzhe Chen, Regional Vice President-Asia and the Pacific of the International Finance Corporation Ricardo Puliti, and IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings.

Likewise, Pun will meet high-ranking officials of USAID, US International Development Finance Corporation as well as the President of US Chamber of Commerce Atul Keshap.

According to the finance ministry, Minister Pun will brief the World Bank and IMF officials about preparations for the upcoming 2024 Nepal Investment Summit, while also discussing issues related to financial management for key infrastructure projects like the Upper Arun.