KATHMANDU: The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) celebrated 30 years of development partnership with Nepal through a commemorative event titled “Together for 30 Years: A Journey of Trust and Cooperation” held in Kathmandu.
The highlight of the event was the signing of three major project agreements totaling USD 29 million, reflecting KOICA’s strategic priorities for the years ahead.
The first agreement was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Ghanshyam Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, and Park Tae-young, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal, for the establishment of the Gandaki Institute of Technology. The USD 9 million project will be implemented from 2025 to 2030.
This was followed by two Records of Discussion (RoD) for new projects. The first, the Value Chain Development Project (Phase II) in Lumbini Province, will be implemented from 2025 to 2031 with a budget of USD 10 million. It was signed by Dr. Hari Bahadur K.C., Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Mooheon Kong, KOICA Country Director.
The second project, the Establishment of the Sudurpaschim Polytechnic Institute, also with a budget of USD 10 million and scheduled from 2025 to 2030, was signed by Shiva Kumar Sapkota, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Mr. Mooheon Kong.
Speaking at the event, KOICA Nepal Country Director Mooheon Kong highlighted KOICA’s long-standing commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in Nepal. He emphasized the agency’s focus on building local capacity and fostering innovation in education, health, agriculture, and governance.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bhrigu Dhungana, acknowledged the deep friendship between Nepal and the Republic of Korea and praised KOICA’s contributions in advancing Nepal’s national priorities. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening this partnership in the years to come.
Park Tae-young noted that KOICA’s three-decade journey in Nepal symbolizes mutual trust and shared progress between the two nations. He reiterated Korea’s continued support for Nepal’s socio-economic development, describing the new agreements as stepping stones toward deeper cooperation.
Chief Guest Dhana Raj Acharya, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, congratulated KOICA on its milestone and lauded its impactful interventions across various sectors. He reaffirmed the Government of Nepal’s readiness to collaborate closely with KOICA to ensure long-term sustainability and reach of future programs.
As KOICA reflects on 30 years of collaboration, it reiterated its commitment to building a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Nepal through strong partnerships with the government and local communities.
Since its entry into Nepal in 1991, KOICA has been a key development partner, supporting sectors such as health, education, agriculture, vocational training, IT, tourism, and rural development.
To date, KOICA has dispatched 2,921 volunteers to government institutions across Nepal and provided fellowship programs to over 2,230 Nepali officials.
Following Nepal’s designation as a KOICA priority country in 2010, the agency’s support has significantly increased—surpassing USD 200 million by 2025. This progress was further bolstered by a framework agreement on development cooperation, underscoring the strong and growing ties between the two nations.
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