Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, Axel van Trotsenberg, met with Finance Minister Barshman Pun today at the Ministry of Finance in Singha Durbar.

Trotsenberg is to Nepal to participate in IDA-21, the third replenishment meeting of the International Development Association (IDA) under the World Bank Group, which will start from Tuesday in Kathmandu. Along with Trotsenberg, the Vice Presidents of the World Bank, Akihiko Nisio and Martin Razer, and the newly appointed Nepal director, David Sislen, also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, Minister Pun thanked the World Bank management for choosing Nepal as the venue for IDA-21 meeting, and pledged full support from the Government of Nepal to make the meeting a grand success.

On the occasion, Minister Pun praised the Bank's generous support for Nepal's development including the continuous interest and commitment shown in the construction of the Upper Arun and Dudhkoshi hydropower projects.

Through the 21st IDA meeting, he requested the World Bank to give priority not only to financial support but also to the fields of knowledge and innovation.

In reply, World Bank Managing Director Trotsenberg congratulated and thanked Nepal for hosting the third replenishment meeting of IDA-21. Discussing the long partnership between Nepal and the World Bank, he said that Nepal has always been given top priority and cooperation will be strengthened in the future as well.