ADB vice-president in Nepal

Liqun Jin, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) vice-president of operations arrived in Kathmandu for a four-day long official visit today.
Jin is in Nepal at the invitation of government of Nepal to participate in the Nepal Donors Consultation Meeting scheduled for February 21-22 in Kathmandu. He will deliver the opening speech at the meeting on behalf of Nepal's development partners, ADB states in a press release.
During his visit, Jin is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Water Resources Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and Physical Planning and Works Minister Hisila Yami and other senior government officials.
He will discuss ADB's assistance programmes and hold consultations on the current situation in Nepal. He is also scheduled to meet with the head of UNMIN Ian Martin and leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).
Jin — who joined ADB in August 2003 and is responsible for operations of South Asia Department, Central and West Asia Department, and the Private Sector Operations Department — will also visit ADB-funded project sites.
Prior to joining ADB, Jin was the vice-minister of finance of the People's Republic of China (PRC). He served as Alternate Governor for the PRC at ADB, the World Bank Group and the Global Environment Facility.
ADB began its lending operations in Nepal in 1969. At the end of 2007, cumulative funding to Nepal totalled 123 loans and grants totalling $2.5 billion and 270 technical assistance projects totalling $127.8 million.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members — 48 from the Asia. In 2007, it approved $10.1 billion of loan, $673 million of grant projects and technical assistance amounting to $243 million.