KATHMANDU: Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the World Bank Group, Wencai Zhang, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday.

During the meeting held at PM’s residence, Baluwatar, they discussed mutual cooperation for the achievement of development goals through increased investment and employment opportunities in Nepal. PM Oli thanked the World Bank for accepting Nepal’s six-year strategic cooperation framework (2025-31) and expressed happiness over the World Bank’s continued financial and technical assistance to Nepal on its journey towards achievement of SDGs and graduation to the developing country.

Government has prioritized youths’ involvement in modernization of agriculture, increase of productivity, entrepreneurship, and service sector, PM Oli reminded, underlining the need of proper compensation to Nepal for the loss and damage caused by climate change. Infrastructure development is another priority. However, government’s focus on reconstruction after earthquake and disasters slowed development works, he admitted, expecting assistance from the World Bank for production, marketing and employment generation.

Chief Administrative Officer Zhang said the six-year strategy had featured job creation, climate adaptation, agriculture, disaster reduction, and investment in sociocultural sectors. He informed that the World Bank was ready to cooperate with PM Oli’s concept of security from Himalaya to seas in terms of response to climate change impact.