KATHMANDU: Standing Committee member and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali has said that it is irrelevant to make an unnecessary issue of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

Presenting his views on the political dossier presented by Chairmen Pushpa Kamal Dahal and KP Oli in the ongoing Standing Committee meeting on Thursday, Minister Gyawali said the MCC is an indispensable project that has come into existence at the Nepal government’s initiative.

“Hence, it is irrelevant to make an issue of it in the Standing Committee meeting unnecessarily,” said Minister Gyawali.

Gyawali presented an 11-point note in writing as part of deliberation on the political report.

“The MCC is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004. Nepal has been taking the initiative to receive financial support from the MCC since 2008. Subsequently, Nepal qualified for it in 2001,” said Gyawali.

“The then coalition government led by Nepali Congress and the then CPN (Maoist Center) had reached a deal on MCC with the US in 2017. We should not make an issue of it. Communist countries not only from Indo-Pacific region but also from European continent have received assistance from it,” reads Gyawali’s note.

Minister Gywali’s view has come at a time when the leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) are divided over the MCC in the ongoing Standing Committee meeting.

It is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID.