Kathmandu, August 25, 2026 — Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has called for Nepal’s relationship with the United States to move beyond traditional development assistance and place greater emphasis on investment, trade, technology and entrepreneurship as Nepal prepares to graduate from least-developed country status.
Speaking at an event organized by the Centre for Social Innovation and Foreign Policy (CESIF) in Kathmandu on Tuesday to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, Khanal said Nepal’s changing economic circumstances require a new basis for bilateral cooperation.
Khanal said Nepal is gradually moving away from an aid-dependent economic model towards greater private-sector participation, foreign direct investment and higher-value trade. He said the country’s partnership with the United States should evolve alongside that transition.
He identified three areas where cooperation could be expanded: linking Nepal’s young information technology workforce with US capital and innovation, strengthening cooperation in clean energy and climate resilience, and making greater use of the knowledge, networks and investment capacity of Nepalis living in the United States.
Nepal and the United States will mark 80 years of diplomatic relations next year. Khanal said the relationship has been built on democratic values, mutual respect and strong people-to-people connections. He also recognized longstanding US assistance to Nepal in areas including public health, education, post-disaster reconstruction and infrastructure.
