Prime Minister Calls for Review of BRI Investment Model and Policies

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has emphasized the need for a comprehensive discussion regarding China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative’s (BRI) financial investment model. He has urged China to be open to such discussions and to consider adjustments to certain challenging policy aspects of the project.

During the ‘ A decade of BRI: Deepening trade, investment, connectivity and academic relations,’ program held in Kathmandu on Sunday, Prime Minister Prachanda expressed the necessity for a thorough examination of the financial investment model associated with BRI projects.

“We will engage in more detailed discussions on the financial investment model of such projects. We believe that China will also reconsider its investment policies, possibly providing subsidies and assistance for some projects in Nepal,” stated Prime Minister Prachanda.

Nepal has expressed its intent to accelerate development and prosperity through the implementation of the BRI project. Prime Minister Prachanda addressed concerns regarding delays in project advancement, attributing them to the COVID-19 pandemic and certain structural limitations. Nevertheless, he reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to leveraging the BRI project for development and prosperity.

While there have been reports of Nepal’s recent reservations about the BRI project’s progress, Prime Minister Prachanda’s statements, as the head of the country, underscore the nation’s support for the initiative. Despite his recent visit to China, concrete progress in project implementation has yet to materialize.

Prime Minister Prachanda expressed his dedication to the project, aligning with President Xi Jinping’s vision that Nepal should no longer remain landlocked, a stance he has held for several decades. He called for collective efforts to transform this vision into reality.