It has been four months since Lok Darshan Regmi Nepal’s Ambassador Designate was supposed to leave for the US to present his credential. People are now questioning his whereabouts.

As the US government is currently reviewing its development aid policy, including the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Nepal's mission in Washington DC is currently without an ambassador. The mission is being currently managed by the deputy head of the mission.

Despite Lok Darshan Regmi being appointed as the ambassador to the USA six months ago and taking the oath of office before the president Ram Chandra Paudel on December 1, 2024, he has yet to reach Washington DC to present his credentials.

For the past four months, he has been spending his time at home, delaying his official duties. Regmi, who was chief secretary and served ambassador of Nepal to United Kingdom, has been hanging in Kathmandu’s knocking the door of power centers to be appointed in better places.

Regmi, who is known to be close to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and he has a working relations in NC leadership, remains immune to any actions.

However, Nepal is facing challenges without an ambassador to represent its interests and engage with President Trump's core team. With numerous contacts in Congress and close ties to President Trump, Nepal needs to engage with them.

Recently, in a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, at the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, organised by India’s Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, Ricky Gill, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and National Security Council Senior Director for South and Central Asia assured the continued economic support to Nepal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement.

“Appreciated meeting Ricky Gill, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and National Security Council Senior Director for South and Central Asia, on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue. Gill and I also discussed Nepal-U.S. ties, which are rooted in shared democratic and human rights values. I am confident that our cooperation will continue to grow over the years,” writes FM Dr. Deuba in her X wall.

Due to Ambassador Regmi's absence from his duties, Nepal is unable to effectively present its case. This lack of representation is seen as a neglect of diplomatic and official protocols. Some are calling for Regmi to either take up his responsibilities in Washington or resign from his position. This situation is causing frustration among former diplomats, who see Regmi's actions as a challenge to the authority of the foreign ministry.

Although ambassador Regmi’s presence cannot make any difference in US policy towards Nepal, he can still take some follow up work meeting Nepal lovers in Washington DC.

Government said number of projects funded by the United States have been put on hold after President Donald Trump suspended foreign development assistance.

President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause in US foreign development assistance on the day he returned to the White House, pending assessments of efficiency and consistency with U.S. foreign policy.

The Ministry of Finance said projects in the field of education, health, agriculture and statistics that were funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and were implemented under the government’s budget had been halted for 90 days.

“Money for the projects that were being designed has not been received as the agreement for these programs has not been signed yet,” a ministry statement said.

Last week, the government said two major infrastructure projects funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government aid agency, for the construction of a power transmission line and road improvement project had been paused for 90 days following the order.

Without any formal notification to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassador Regmi has been leaving in Kathmandu visiting the doors of power centers.