US Under Secretary Nuland arriving in Nepal next week

In a bid to engage and interact with the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland will be on an official visit to Nepal from January 29-30, Report informs referring to The Kathmandu Post.

Nuland will be the senior-most foreign dignitary to visit Kathmandu following Dahal’s appointment as prime minister on December 25 last year.

Nuland will also be the senior-most US official to come to Kathmandu after the visit in May last year of US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya. But a formal announcement of Nuland’s visit is yet to be made.

US officials and officials from MCA-Nepal have also expressed concerns over hindrances created at the project sites in Ratamate in Nuwakot and Dang where road expansion and upgrade and construction of transmission lines under the compact are taking place. The $500 project is all set to enter into force from August and the US government wants to ensure it is executed without any further hindrances.

During their interactions with Nepali officials and diplomats including Nepal’s Ambassador to the US Sridhar Khatri, US officials from the State Department, the National Security Council and the Department of Defense also expressed their interest in visiting Kathmandu.