A delegation led by Asian Development Bank (ADB)'s country director for Nepal Arno Koshwa has paid a courtesy call on Minister for Communication and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina on Thursday.
During the meeting held at Singhadurbar-based Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, matters related to enhancing collaboration between the Government of Nepal and ADB in the area of digital transformation were discussed.
According to the ministry, discussions were held particularly on the policy and procedural facilitation required for the effective implementation of the 'Nepal: Digital Transformation Project.'
Country Director Koshwa emphasized on leveraging coordination among government agencies, policy clarity, and procedural facilitation for the successful implementation of the project, and called for more active cooperation from the government.
He clarified that ADB's priorities include improving the business environment for the private sector, promoting information technology sector, and creating employment opportunities.
Koshwa stressed that Nepal needs to prepare a policy environment that encourages the private sector to expand the digital economy.
He noted that the development of technology-based industries in Nepal can contribute significantly not only to economic growth but also to employment generation for the youth.
The director-led delegation also discussed Nepal’s potential sectors, highlighting notable benefits can be reaped if agriculture, tourism, and information technology sectors are linked with digital transformation.
He specifically highlighted cyber security, data security, cloud policy, and artificial intelligence (AI) as the key pillars of Nepal's digital future, indicating Nepal could fall behind in digital competitiveness without timely investment and clear policy-making in these areas.
On the occasion, Minister Timilsina expressed gratitude for the continuous financial and technical support provided to Nepal by ADB, stating that the government is committed to completing development projects quickly, effectively, and result-oriented manner.
Emphasizing that infrastructure development and public service delivery are the government's top priorities, Minister Timilsina said.
Highlighting that Nepal has accorded high priority to digital infrastructure development, he expressed the government's commitment to making concrete improvements and investments in this sector.
Minister Timilsina clarified that digital transformation should be considered not just as an expansion of technology, but also as a means to improve the overall governance system, facilitate service delivery, and enhance transparency.
He stated that the government will focus on policy reform, infrastructure expansion, and human resource development with the aim of effectively providing government services through digital means.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the ministry, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and officials from ADB.
