November 6: World Bank’s Managing Director, Anna Bjerde, concluded her four-day visit to Nepal on Saturday, reiterating the World Bank’s support for Nepal’s green, resilient, and inclusive development (GRID) vision. She was joined by the Regional Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser.    
According to a press release issued by World Bank, Managing Director Bjerde met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat. The meetings discussed Nepal’s progress in the GRID agenda as well as the performance of World Bank-supported projects in Nepal.    
Similarly, Bjerde participated in a high-level event with senior representatives from the government, development partners, private sector, civil society, and academia. During the event, a joint communique was announced to endorse the priorities outlined in the GRID Strategic Action Plan currently being prepared by the government.    
“Nepal’s GRID Strategic Action Plan sets a clear course for the country’s development vision,” said Anna Bjerde. “It is encouraging to see the strong and effective partnership between the government and development partners as they join forces to support Nepal’s transition to longer-term resilience, inclusion, sustainability, and efficiency for the benefit of the people and the planet.”    

The GRID Strategic Action Plan identifies ten GRID transitions, including managing landscape to optimize benefits from the water-agriculture-food nexus, disaster risk management, resilient roads and sustainable transport, renewable energy, and improved air quality, among others.    
Moreover, meetings were also held with Nepal’s development partners and representatives from the private sector.

Outside Kathmandu, Bjerde and the World Bank delegation visited the proposed Upper Arun Hydroelectric Project site in Sankhuwasabha and the World Bank-financed Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Project site in Kavre.    
“The World Bank is proud to be a trusted partner in Nepal’s development for more than 50 years. Working together with the government, we have supported better skills and jobs for young people and women, better new housing for those affected by earthquakes, and improved access to finance, markets, and services for the benefit of Nepalis, especially the poor and vulnerable,” added Bjerde.    
In response to the devastating earthquake of November 3 in Karnali Province, Bjerde sent condolences to the Nepal government and offered to trigger financing through available instruments to accelerate response and provide immediate support to households affected, added the press statement. -- RSS