Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support Nepal’s post-disaster recovery and climate-resilient reconstruction during a meeting with ADB President Masato Kanda in Bangkok, Thailand, while attending the annual meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Wagle asked the bank to mobilize resources for recovery and long-term economic development.
Request for recovery and reconstruction support
Wagle’s request focused on two related priorities: responding to the aftermath of disaster and rebuilding in a way that takes climate resilience into account. He raised the issues directly with Kanda during their meeting in Bangkok. The discussion placed Nepal’s recovery needs and longer-term development goals before the ADB president.
The minister also called on the bank to mobilize resources for Nepal. The request links immediate post-disaster recovery with the broader task of supporting long-term economic development. The summary of the meeting did not specify a funding amount, a financing arrangement or a timeline for any potential ADB support.
Discussions alongside international financial meetings
Wagle is in Bangkok to attend the annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. His meeting with Kanda took place during that visit. The stated focus was Nepal’s need for support for recovery and climate-resilient reconstruction, as well as resources for long-term economic development.
The request underscores the two areas Wagle raised with the ADB: helping Nepal recover after disaster and ensuring reconstruction accounts for climate resilience. No further details were provided about the specific recovery activities, reconstruction projects or resources discussed. The information available also did not indicate whether the ADB had made a commitment in response.
Wagle’s appeal to Kanda was therefore a request for the ADB to mobilize support, rather than an announcement of an approved package. The meeting brought Nepal’s post-disaster recovery and development priorities into discussions taking place alongside the World Bank and IMF annual meeting in Bangkok.
