U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma visits Nepal to strengthen U.S.-Nepal partnership

Mr. Verma, an Indian-American diplomat, is the senior-most official from the Joe Biden administration to visit Nepal since a change of government, in Nepal, and Mr. Oli assumed charge as the Prime Minister last month.

Mr. Verma, who is on a one-day visit to Nepal, met Mr. Oli at Singha Durbar where discussions were held on bilateral relations and mutual interests.

“The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the continuous support provided by the U.S. government in Nepal’s economic and social development since the 1950s and hoped for continued support in various areas in the days ahead,” The Kathmandu Post newspaper quoted an official from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat as saying.Mr. Oli informed Mr. Verma that Nepal is in the process of graduating from a least developed country (LDC) by 2026 and that the laws on transitional justice are being formulated based on political consensus.“Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources of the United States Richard R. Verma paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr.Arzu Rana Deuba today. Various aspects of Nepal-U.S. relations, including development cooperation, were discussed in the meeting,” Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said.

“He is leading U.S. delegations to Nepal and India to “advance and support a prosperous, secure, and resilient future for both countries,” a U.S. State Department statement had said ahead of his visit.

 “Apart from Rana Deuba, the delegation will meet with senior government officials, development professionals, and business leaders to discuss shared priorities in economic development, women’s empowerment, energy, and people-to-people ties,” the State Department statement said.