KATHMANDU: US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry has expressed concern over the delay in the ratification of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
Meeting Ishwor Pokhrel, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense on Sunday, Ambassador Berry sought the updates on the MCC ratification in Nepal.
The US grant, MCC which was expected to be ratified on May 29, has not been tabled for discussion and ratification till date despite the demand from most of the political parties in the parliament that it should be passed instantly.
According to the Defense Ministry sources, Ambassador Berry wondered at the delay in the ratification here and added that there were many countries seeking this grant.
Ambassador Randy is reported to have asking Minister Pokhrel as why Nepal was lingering the process at a time when several other countries across the globe are asking the United States for MCC assistance.
Sources claimed that Deputy PM Pokharel informed Ambassador Berry that a thorough discussion was going on the MCC grant and tried to assure Berry that it would be ratified from the parliament.
The meeting between Ambassador Randy and Minister Pokhrel basically focused on the stalled MCC.
Ambassador Berry also discussed Nepal’s measures to curb coronavirus pandemic when India, the country with open border with Nepal has more than 100 thousand coronavirus cases almost every day.
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