NRB governor Paudel highlights Nepal’s economic stability, Investment potential in Washington talks

KATHMANDU: Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), Biswo Nath Paudel, participated in the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings 2026 held in Washington, D.C., from April 13 to 18, engaging in a series of high-level discussions focused on Nepal’s economic and financial outlook.

The meetings brought together finance ministers, central bank governors, and financial leaders from member countries of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group. Governor Paudel took part in key sessions, including the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) Introductory Session and Plenary.

During the sidelines of the meetings, Paudel held discussions with IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li, focusing on Nepal’s macroeconomic and financial conditions, as well as the impact of ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia on the country’s economy. The IMF acknowledged Nepal’s progress in maintaining macroeconomic stability, particularly in areas such as price stability and foreign exchange reserves.

The discussions also covered the review of Nepal’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program and future policy directions. Paudel expressed appreciation for IMF support extended to Nepal.

He further held separate meetings with senior officials from the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department (APD), including Director Krishna Srinivasan, Nepal Mission Chief Sarwat Jahan, and representatives from the Monetary and Capital Markets Department (MCM). These discussions focused on the progress of Nepal’s ECF program and potential technical assistance in the coming days.

In another engagement, Paudel met with Executive Director for the South East Asia Voting Group (SEAVG), discussing areas of technical cooperation to strengthen Nepal’s financial sector, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and financial technologies.

The Governor also held talks with officials from the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), including David Shannon, focusing on Nepal’s current status in anti-money laundering efforts and ongoing initiatives to exit the “grey list.”

Bilateral discussions were also held with the Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, where both sides explored cooperation on the use of AI and big data in central banking operations. Paudel highlighted NRB’s focus on strengthening its data systems and expressed interest in learning from Malaysia’s experience.

On the sidelines, Paudel engaged with representatives from international financial institutions and private sector organizations.

He also participated as a keynote speaker in the “USA-Nepal Growth, Capital and Innovation Dialogue” organized by the Nepalese American Chamber of Commerce in Dallas on April 18. Additionally, he addressed a “Fireside Chat” program organized by Nepali Students’ Association (MITeri) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in Boston, where he spoke on Nepal’s economic outlook, investment potential, and the role of emerging technologies including AI.

Furthermore, Paudel attended the World Bank Group’s Executive Forum held in Washington, D.C., on April 20 and 21, where global economic issues were discussed. Harvard University Professor Kenneth Rogoff was among the keynote speakers at the forum.

Senior NRB officials, including Executive Director Dr. Ram Sharan Kharel and Director Sharan Kumar Adhikari, also participated in the meetings.

Currently, 190 countries are members of the IMF, while 189 countries are affiliated with the World Bank Group.