European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen, is scheduled to arrive in Nepal on Wednesday for an official visit to meet Nepali leaders and launch several EU actions in the country.

“I am delighted to be visiting Nepal to strengthen our partnership and engage on matters of common geopolitical interest, not least Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which had disastrous consequences on food security in the world, including in Nepal,” Commissioner Urpilainen said.

“I look forward to presenting our Global Gateway strategy, the EU’s positive offer to partners to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.”

Commissioner Urpilainen’s visit comes at an important moment as Nepal is preparing to graduate from Least Developed Country status in 2026, thus reaffirming the European Union’s strong and unwavering engagement with Nepal, including the recent launch of the Multiannual Indicative Programme for Nepal for 2021-2027.

Through the Multiannual Indicative Programme, the European Union will contribute to Nepal’s green, resilient and inclusive development effort to overcome the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, as requested by the government of Nepal.

It will focus on three priority areas: inclusive green growth to support efforts at the local level to achieve a green economy, green jobs and sustainable growth in Nepal.

The programme will cover human capital development, especially in the field of education and nutrition, while giving adequate attention to regional disparities and human development indices.

As part of her itenary, Urpilainen will observe the Human Milk Bank at the Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital.

Urpilainen will also hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and new Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Poudel.

Urpilainen is scheduled to launch a 50 million euro support to Nepal’s new education sector plan. This marks 20 years of EU support to increase access to education for boys and girls and a new era to increase the quality of education in Nepal, said a press statement issued by the European Union Delegation to Nepal.

Commissioner Urpilainen will also meet with civil society organisations, members of the business community, and representatives of International Financial Institutions.

Urpilainen will launch the Team Europe Initiative on Green Recovery with the ambassadors of the EU Member States resident in Nepal (France, Finland and Germany), government representatives, development partners, and private sector and civil society representatives.

The Team Europe Initiative will support Nepal’s efforts to recover from the pandemic and grow stronger and greener through more jobs, energy access, increased resilience of society to shocks by better services in water supply, sanitation, nutrition, and education, while fostering increased participation of women in leadership and the economy.