American Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu (left) and Foreign Minister NP Saud.
American Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu has expressed concern about the implementation of the millennium challenge corporation (MCC) grant compact on Friday.
American diplomat Lu who arrived on a one-day visit to Nepal expressed concern about the MCC implementation during the meeting with Foreign Minister NP Saud on Friday afternoon.
“US diplomat Lu expressed concern about the implementation of the MCC during the meeting with Minister Saud,” said Saud’s secretariat, “Importance of exchange of high-level bilateral visits, increase and continuation of US support to Nepal were discussed.”
On the occasion, Lu pledged the continued support of the United States to Nepal even after graduating to a developing country from the least developed status.
“America, as a long-time development partner, will continue its support to Nepal in fulfilling its development aspirations even after graduating to a developing country from the least developed status in 2026,” the Minister Saud’s secretariat quoted Lu as saying.
The US diplomat also appreciated the contribution made by the Nepali diaspora to the US economy during the meeting.
In response, Foreign Minister Saud expressed his gratitude to Assistant Secretary Lu for the regular support received from the US and the special support received during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Likewise, Lu held a meeting with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter’s residence in Dhumbarahi this afternoon.
During the meeting, US dignitary has expressed concern about the implementation of the millennium challenge corporation (MCC) grant compact.
“The matters of bilateral relations, development construction, and MCC grant compact implementation were discussed in the meeting,” said Bhanu Deuba, the personal secretary of Deuba, “Lu expressed commitments to assist Nepal to deal with the impacts induced by the climate change.”
Lu is also scheduled to hold a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. According to Prime Minister’s secretariat, no formal meeting has been planned. Lu will extend condolences to Prime Minister Dahal since the latter’s spouse Sita Dahal passed away on Wednesday.
According to the US embassy’s Facebook post, US dignitary will also hold a meeting with an American Chamber of Commerce member to inquire about its efforts toward developing skills of Nepalis to compete globally.
Likewise, Lu will attend a dinner reception at the US embassy later in the evening followed by meetings with the various leaders of the political parties before leaving Kathmandu tonight, said the embassy.
This is Lu’s third visit and the first after Pushpa Kamal Dahal was elected as the prime minister in December last year.
Lu’s visit has taken place 47 days before the official implementation date of the MCC grant compact. The countdown of the implementation of the US project will officially begin on August 30, 2023. The MCC project has to be accomplished in the next five years starting August 30, according to the agreement.
Lu arrived on a two-day visit to Nepal in July 2022. He had come to Kathmandu after the Nepal government decided not to be part of the State Partnership Program (SPP).
Prior to that, he visited Nepal in November 2021. At that time the MCC was pending in the Parliament.
US diplomat is on a whirlwind tour to South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
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