Nepal Must Avoid BRI Loans: Nepali Congress

The main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), has taken a firm stance against accepting Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects from China as loans.

After a meeting on Monday involving both current and former office bearers, the party concluded that the BRI projects should only be accepted as cooperation or grants, not as loans.

NC spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat emphasized the party’s concern about the potential financial burden that additional loans would impose on Nepal.

“We have been in debt from the beginning. Even now, projects received in grants and cooperation have not been completed. Taking additional loans at this time will not help advance development. We conclude that we cannot accept loans under these circumstances,” Mahat stated. He underscored the need to bring this critical issue to the government’s attention.