Top World Bank official arrives

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, managing director of the World Bank Group, arrived Kathmandu today for a three-day official visit to Nepal. During her stay, she will visit World Bank assisted projects in western Nepal and meet with senior officials of the government, including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
She is the highest ranking World Bank official who is visitng Nepal after Maoist-led government came to power.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian national, returned to the World Bank Group in November 2007 from her previous job as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria from June to August 2006 and as Minister of Finance and Economy of Nigeria from July 2003 to June 2006, according to a press release. During this time she was head of Nigeria's much acclaimed Presidential Economic team responsible for implementing a comprehensive, home-grown economic reform programme that stabilised the macro-economy and tripled the growth rate to an average six per cent per annum over three years. Her achievements as Finance Minister garnered international recognition for improving Nigeria's financial stability and fostering greater fiscal transparency to combat corruption.