Kathmandu, October 26
A US congressional delegation led by Jason Smith, chair of the House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee, has paid a courtesy call on Nepal’s Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal, discussing bilateral relations, economic cooperation, disaster management and parliamentary collaboration.
According to the Speaker’s Secretariat, the meeting covered areas of mutual interest, including Nepal-US relations, economic partnership, climate-related disasters and cooperation between the two countries’ legislatures.
During the meeting, Aryal thanked the United States for its solidarity and assistance to Nepal following the devastating floods in Rasuwa and the Bhotekoshi area. He said the government had made every possible effort to respond to the disaster.
Aryal also briefed the delegation on an emergency agenda proposed by Nepal at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), held recently in Arusha, Tanzania. The agenda, titled “Urgent Parliamentary Action to Address Climate-Related Disasters and Strengthen Resilience in the Himalayan Region and Other Vulnerable Areas”, was adopted with more than a two-thirds majority.
He stressed the need to strengthen international and inter-parliamentary cooperation to reduce losses in areas highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters, improve preparedness and build resilience.
Aryal said countries with greater economic and technological capacity should provide responsible support and cooperation rather than relying solely on grants to help vulnerable nations cope with climate-related disasters.
Call for greater investment and economic ties
Aryal said Nepal-US relations should move beyond traditional grant-based assistance towards greater investment and economic partnership.
He said Nepal was committed to the policy and legal reforms needed to create an investment-friendly environment and maintain investor confidence.
The Speaker also expressed confidence that parliamentary caucuses in the US Congress and the Nepal-US Parliamentary Friendship Group would continue to strengthen dialogue and cooperation.
He said parliamentary visits and exchanges played an important role in promoting friendly relations and parliamentary diplomacy, and thanked the delegation for visiting Nepal.
US delegation expresses sympathy over flood losses
The US delegation expressed sympathy over the losses Nepal suffered in the Bhotekoshi floods, paid tribute to those who lost their lives and conveyed condolences to their bereaved families.
The delegation said its visit to Nepal, a country rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, had been an enriching experience. It described Nepal-US relations as cordial and built on trust.
The lawmakers also expressed their willingness to continue supporting Nepal’s economic, social, physical and human development, while working to further strengthen parliamentary diplomacy between the two countries.
The chairs of the House of Representatives’ International Relations and Tourism Committee and Parliamentary Hearing Committee also attended the meeting.
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