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Kathmandu
- The Government of Nepal and United States Agency for International
Development jointly held a Portfolio Review Meeting of USAID funded project
today at the Ministry of Finance.
The
objective of this review meeting was to strengthen GON-US partnership through
increased understanding of USAID’s portfolio under its Assistance Agreement,
major achievements to date, increased emphasis on budget on treasury flow of
funds and utilization of local organizations, and clarifying roles and
responsibilities during project’s design and their approval.
The
meeting was attended by the Hon. Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat,
Finance Secretary Mr. Arjun Prasad Pokhrel, US Ambassador to Nepal H.E. Dean
Thompson, USAID’s Mission Director Ms. Sepideh Keyvanshad, officials from the
different line Ministries, USAID official, among other.
Addressing
the opening session of the meeting, Hon. Finance Minister Dr. Mahat appreciated
the Government of the United States of America for their continued bilateral assistance
in the field of education, health, agriculture, disaster management, democracy
and good governance. Acknowledging the Nepal-US long standing partnership since
years, Minister Dr. Mahat highlighted the need to channelize the US assistance
so as to realize tangible outcomes through investment in the rural
infrastructure projects, like rural roads, drinking water and son that directly help to improve the livelihood
of the people Nepal.
Similarly,
US Ambassador H.E. Thompson stated his satisfaction by acknowledging the
Nepal-US long standing partnership in the various field of development.
From
the Development Objective Agreement (DOAG), a bilateral Umbrella Agreement
signed between Nepal and United States of America last years, aiming to utilize
US$ 659 million US assistance over the five years period, has provisioned to
use US assistance from the Nepal’s budgetary system, gradually increasing the
on-treasury assistance.
