Wagle Seeks AIIB and Qatari Backing for Flood Recovery and Key Projects
Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has urged the AIIB and the Qatari government to support flood rehabilitation and finance major transport and hydropower projects.
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle has called on multilateral and bilateral partners to assist Nepal with post-disaster reconstruction and fund major domestic infrastructure, wrapping up a round of high-level meetings in Qatar.
Wagle was in Doha leading Nepal's delegation to the 11th Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Board of Governors, held on September 28–29 under the theme "Tomorrow’s Infrastructure: Impact and Innovation," The Kathmandu Post reported. According to the daily, the delegation included Finance Ministry Joint Secretary Amrit Lamsal, Under Secretary Upen Pandey, and Kumar Rai, chargé d’affaires at the Nepali Embassy in Doha.
On the sidelines of the summit, Wagle met AIIB President Zou Jiayi to seek concessional resources and project assistance following recent deadly flooding along the Bhotekoshi River, according to The Rising Nepal. Nagarik News reported that Zou offered condolences over the disaster's toll and pledged the bank's backing, noting that project preparation grants could be channelled through the AIIB's Project Preparation Special Fund to secure lower lending rates.
During their discussions, Wagle urged the Beijing-headquartered development bank to accelerate ongoing feasibility studies for electricity distribution system improvements and an expressway, Nagarik News reported. The finance minister also raised concerns over flood-induced damage to the AIIB-financed Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project and requested broader backing for digital infrastructure, road networks, and cross-border power transmission lines, inviting Zou to visit Nepal before the end of 2026, according to The Rising Nepal.
Separately, Wagle met Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari on Tuesday, pitching three flagship ventures for Qatari investment ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries in January 2027, Onlinekhabar reported. The proposed initiatives include the Chandragiri–Chitlang–Palung–Chitwan Expressway, the Nalsing Gadh Storage Hydropower Project, and the Simbuwa Khola Hydropower Project.
Al Kuwari pledged Qatar's backing for Nepal's flood rehabilitation and committed his government to facilitating foreign investment in the proposed ventures, Onlinekhabar reported. The news portal added that Wagle also held bilateral meetings with Armenian Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan and Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili before touring Nepal's embassy in Doha and departing for Kathmandu on Tuesday night.