US assured of MCC Compact ratification

The US official has expressed confidence that the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact with Nepal would be ratified by the House of Representatives at the earliest, and it would help strengthen Nepal-US cooperation and collaboration subsisting for 73 years.

Nepal government itself had shown willingness for the MCC Compact after half a decade long discussions and dialogues keeping in the center its socio-economic transformation, the official reminded, adding that Nepali political parties would be univocal on implementation of the Compact.

"The seven decade-long official relations between the US and Nepal and the projects of bilateral cooperation thereafter have contributed to Nepal's journey to prosperity, said MCC Vice President, Fatema Sumar, at a news conference before wrapping up her four-day visit to Nepal on Sunday. "The past development projects have helped redefine our relations with Nepal," she stressed.

She further hoped that the MCC Compact would be endorsed by the HoR soon with political consensus. Sumar shared her conclusion.

According to her, the project under the MCC Compact would contribute to the restoration of the economy and employment generation.

During her 4-day stay in Nepal, Sumar held separate meetings with Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairperson Madhav Kumar Nepal, CPN UML Chairperson KP Oli, former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma, Minister for Energy, Hydro Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhushal, among others and requested them to ratify the MCC Compact soon from the parliament.

Earlier, the Nepal government had put forth 11 queries to the MCC. To which, MCC responded that the provisions of the MCC Compact were not above Nepal's constitution. The MCC Compact as per which Nepal would get Rs 55 billion grants by the US government for constructing transmission lines and roads was not the part of Indo-Pacific Strategy of the US, she made it clear.