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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who is on an official visit to China, held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Tuesday.

During the meeting, both the leaders assessed the state of bilateral relations and expressed commitment to work together to further elevate the ties between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The two leaders also emphasized on swift implementation of projects.

The Shree Airlines has brought two more 80-seater aircrafts.

The private sector airlines company has brought the 'Dash 8' planes manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (DHC).

The call sign of the two aircrafts that landed in Kathmandu today is 9N-AOK and 9N-AOL, said Anil Mananadhar, the institutional manager of Shree Airlines.

It is said that these aircrafts were operated by Horizon Air and Alaska Air based in America before this.

Manandhar said both the planes will be employed for commercial flights soon after completing the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN)-required process.

With the new addition, Shree Airlines now has a fleet of 10 aircrafts. It also has eight helicopters in operation.

Shree Airlines started operating regular flights to various destinations in Nepal in 2017, using the two 50-seater CRJ 200 aircraft and two 70-seater RJ 700 jet planes.

The airline company that brought additional two 80-seater aircrafts in 2019 and again in 2022 has been expanding its flight destinations.

The UNESCO Nepal National Commission Secretariat has called for nominations for the 'UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education' for the year of 2024.

The prize will be conferred by UNESCO Paris.

The prize carries a purse of US dollar 50,000 (approximately Rs 6.6 million).  The Government of Nepal has been requested to make nominations for the award.

According to the Secretariat, the deadline for submitting the application is April 16. The nominations should include people or institutions making outstanding efforts in favor of women and girls' education.

The Secretariat is authorized for shortlisting the nominations and the UNESCO world-level jury is final authority for announcing the award.  

Nepal defeated Ireland ‘A’ by 71 runs in the second T20 match held at the Tribhuvan International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Tuesday.

Chasing the target of 199 runs set by Nepal, Ireland ‘A’ were bowled out in 18. 3 overs.

Kushal Malla and Sompal Kami took three wickets each for Nepal and Karan KC, Kushal Bhurtel and Bibek Yadav claimed one wicket each.

Stephen Doheny scored highest 26 runs for Ireland. Other players could not play well.

Nepal scored 198 runs in 20 overs losing seven wickets.

Gulshan Jha scored highest 46 runs for Nepal. Similarly, Kushal Malla made 34 runs and captain Rohit Paudel, Kushal Bhurtel and Anil Shah contributed 12 runs respectively.

Likewise, Asif Sheikh scored 11 runs and Sandeep Jora made 21 runs.

In the match held on Monday, Nepal won by six wickets.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to increase investment in electricity infrastructure improvement and expansion projects.

During a meeting with a visiting AIIB delegation comprising the bank board of governors led by AIIB Director RMP Rathnayake on Monday, NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising requested the AIIB to ramp up investment on cheaper interest rates in infrastructure improvement and expansion towards electricity transmission and distribution.

On the occasion NEA Executive Director Ghising apprised the AIIB delegation of the outline of the energy sector development in Nepal and the investment needs for the same. He said there is a need of huge investment for building infrastructures for production, transmission and distribution of electricity for expanding electricity trade with the neighboring countries.

"Nearly USD 60 billion investment (including for the private sector) is required for projects related to the production, transmission and distribution of electricity in order to implement the Energy Sector Roadmap until 2035 brought by the Ministry of Energy. Concessional loan at cheaper interest rate is required for this from multilateral institutions like the AIIB," he added.

The AIIB team expressed the bank's willingness to make investments required for the energy sector. The delegation on the occasion inquired about the progress of projects under construction on AIIB investment, environmental and social security topics, restructuring of the energy sector and market guarantee for power export. 

Member of the AIIB board of directors from Nepal and chief of the International Economic Assistance Coordination Division, Ministry of Finance, Joint Secretary Shree Krishna Nepal also stressed on AIIB providing concessional loans for the development of the energy sector.

AIIB has provided a concessional loan of 112 million and 300 thousand US dollars to Nepal for the implementation of the Electricity Distribution System Improvement and Expansion Project. This loan is being spent for carrying out electrification and distribution system expansion and improvement in Dang, Banke, Bardia and Rolpa of Lumbini province and the eight districts in Karnali province.

Nineteen 33/11kV distribution substations, 350 kilometers of the 33kV transmission line, 1798-kilometer 11kV line and a 3159 kilometers LT line is to be constructed as well as 1045 distribution transformers to be installed as part of this project. Contract agreement and project design have already been completed for implementing the project.

AIIB has released USD 40 million loan for the 216-megawatt Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project which is under construction through foreign direct investment led by the Korean companies.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 10. 14 points to close at 2,041.70 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0.86 points to close at 361. 63 points.

A total of 6,842,392-unit shares of 310 companies were traded for Rs 2. 35 billion.

Meanwhile, Dolti Power Company Limited (DOLTI) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Dhaulagiri Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (DLBS) was the top loser as its price fell by 9.35 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 23 trillion.

Bangladeshi State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Nepali Commerce Minister Damodar Bhandari on Saturday discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. 

They also put emphasis on easy communication between local Banglabandha and Nepal’s Kakarbhita by land and expansion of trade. Visiting Kakarbhita on Saturday morning, the state minister noted Kakarbhita land port is 37 km off Banglabandha land port and this territory is part of India.

He said they discussed how Nepal can join Bangladesh using 37km of India's land directly. Bangladesh, India and Nepal will work together to use this route directly. The state minister on Friday visited Phuentsholing border of Bhutan through “Banglabandha Land Port” in Panchagarh district and Phulbari land port in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal of India.

Welcomed by Phuentsholing Governor Karmi Jurmi on the Phuentsholing border, the state minister went to Pasakha land port from the border where he discussed expansion of trade between the countries. Banglabandha is 142 km off of Bhutan’s bordering area Phuentsholing

Bangladesh Land Port Authority Chairman Md Zillur Rahman Chowdhury, Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal Salahuddin Roman Chowdhury, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Munshi Md Moniruzzaman, part-time member of the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Land Port Authority Ziauddin Ahmed Bhuiyan and Superintending Engineer of the Land Port Authority M Hasan Ali were present during the meeting with Nepal’s commerce minister.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has said it accords top priority to Nepal.

A visiting high-level delegation from the AIIB said this during a meeting with Finance Minister Barshaman Pun, according to the Minister's Secretariat.

On the occasion, Finance Minister Pun urged the AIIB for scaling up its investment in Nepal's infrastructure development and other projects.

In reply, AIIB Director RMP Rathnayake, who leads the delegation, praised Nepal's endeavors for investment policy reforms and for their enhancement. He pledged to adopt a policy of increasing investment in Nepal in the days to come on the basis of the availability of resources. 

The Minister also urged the AIIB for a partnership with Nepal's private sector as per its policy of mobilizing its 50 percent capital in partnership with the private sector. In response, the delegation chief suggested the possibility for collaboration with Nepal's private sector by selecting multi-year projects. 

On the occasion, the finance minister invited the AIIB to the Third National Investment Summit that Nepal is scheduled to host on April 28-29. Director Rathnayake said a high-level participation will be there from the AIIB in the Summit.

The minister utilized the forum to call on the AIIB for ensuring provisions to provide a concessional loan to Nepal and middle-income developing countries. He shared to the delegation that Nepal has been deprived of leveraging on expected benefits from the AIIB due to its relatively high interests’ rates. "Despite being the AIIB founding member, Nepal has failed to take expected benefits from its investments due to a high interest rate," he said.

Stating that multiple projects of infrastructure development are to be carried out in Nepal, he insisted on the concessions on AIIB borrowings to Nepal. He said that the government accords top priority to the infrastructure development and it is required to source out the funds due to its limited internal resources.

The minister advised the AIIB to invest in Nepal's infrastructure development, hydroelectricity, tourism and information technology sectors, and the areas of relative benefits.

He apprised the delegation that an agreement has been reached to supply 10,000 megawatts of electricity and added that there is no market issue for power to be generated in Nepal. Likewise, as per the power trade agreement between Nepal and Bangladesh, Nepal will be soon exporting 40 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh.

Sharing about Nepal's process to graduate from the least developed country to a developing country by 2026, the Minister sought diversifications of AIIB investment in Nepal.

Similarly, stating about Nepal's plan to mobilize the climate change finance in Nepal's development projects, he also urged for the AIIB support towards that end.

The AIIB has invested USD 40 million in the under-construction 216-MW Upper Trishuli-1 hydroelectricity project. It has investments in some under-construction transmission lines in Lumbini and Karnali Provinces.