- NC too is not opposed to the agreement. Parliamentary ratification is a mere formality
Kathmandu, December 25
Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali today said the government decided to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Programme after carefully thinking it over, and that the agreement would be endorsed from the Parliament.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali speaks at a meeting of the National Assembly’s National Concern and Coordination Committee to discuss the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Programme, in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, on Thursday, December 26, 2019. Photo: RSS
Speaking in a meeting of the National Assembly’s National Concern and Coordination Committee today, Gyawali said unnecessary debate on the issue would only mislead all.
Reiterating that non-alignment, Panchasheel, world peace and the UN charter are the bases of Nepal’s foreign policy, the minister said Nepal would not even join any non-military alliance if it targeted any country, let alone a military alliance.
Gyawali said there was no need to link the MCC and the US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy. “Instead of believing in the official signature of our ministers in the agreement, we are running after who said what. That’s not necessary,” said Gyawali.
On requirement that Nepal needs to enter into agreement with India on power trade, Gyawali said it was Nepal that selected development of cross-border transmission line and upgradation of East-West and Karnali highways under the $500 MCC assistance. Therefore, some sort of understanding with India is required for these projects, he added.
“Moreover, we’ve already reached understanding with India and Bangladesh, inching closer towards a trilateral agreement. So there’s no space for ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’,” said Gyawali.
The minister added that the provision for completing the project in five years was actually good for Nepal, which was facing project delays. He said it would only help boost Nepal’s capacity.
On the provision that the agreement needs to be endorsed by the Parliament, Gyawali said the provision was put in place keeping in mind political instability in the country at the time of signing. The donors might have feared that successive governments could halt the project and sought parliamentary ratification to ensure a broader consensus on the project, Gyawali added.
National Assembly members attend the meeting of National Assembly’s National Concern and Coordination Committee to discuss the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact Programme, in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, on Thursday, December 26, 2019. Photo: RSS
“The agreement was signed by the government led by the Nepali Congress and the then CPN-MC,” said Gyawali. “Now that the CPN-MC and CPN-UML have unified to become NCP and the main opposition NC too is not opposed to the agreement, parliamentary ratification is a mere formality.”
Gyawali added that there was a wrong perception that the Nepal government could not conduct audit of projects under the MCC Compact. He said even the independent auditor is selected by the Millennium Challenge Account, the implementing body based in Nepal and chaired by the finance secretary of Nepal. “Nepal can very much conduct audit,” he said.
Gyawali said there was nothing wrong in being cautious and inquisitive about possible hidden motives in agreements reached with bigger countries. However, too much skepticism and dragging every such agreement into controversy will only jeopardise Nepal’s credibility, he added.
“We need to think whether we’ve become too sensitive about development matters,” said Gyawali. He was referring to the debt trap debate on BRI, arguments like over-dependence on India while building cross-border pipeline and ongoing debate over felling trees for Nijgad airport.
“Nationalism cannot be strengthened without being economically strong,” he added.
The post Parliament to endorse pact on MCC, says Gyawali appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
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