Sushil Bhatta 
As the national Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Agency and Investment Promotion Agency, Investment Board Nepal has been partnering with various stakeholders of investment ecosystem to bridge the investment gap by promoting and leveraging private investment including FDI to achieve the national development goals.
The country requires to invest at least 20 billion US Dollar per annum to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and 55 per cent that amount is expected to be mobilized from the private sector. In this regard, a perfect blend of resources including climate financing and other such mechanisms could change the landscape of financial viability of projects in different sectors and offer wide range of investment opportunities in energy and non- energy sectors with lucrative rate of returns.
Let me take this opportunity to briefly highlight the role of IBN in the national development initiatives by promoting and mobilizing private sector investment. We are uniquely placed, specialized and high-powered agency led by the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Nepal, governed by the PPPIA, 2019 and PPPIR 2020.
IBN has successfully embarked on the journey with signing comprehensive agreements with two largescale power projects of export propositions, that is continued to be expanded with a sizable numbers of other energy and non-energy projects. Two non-energy projects in cement manufacturing, namely Hongshi Shivam and Huaxin cement of altogether 9,000 TPD capacity— already commissioned and started production having positive value-chain impact in economy.
As envisioned by the first IBN Strategic Plan, our vision is to establish Nepal as an attractive investment destination with a mission to accelerate investment in infrastructure. IBN mandate and functions are clearly captured in four strategic pillars of the Strategic Plan, namely, project development and management; investment promotion; institutional development; and coordination, collaboration, and partnerships.
Our goal is to approve private sector investment including FDI worth 10 billion US Dollar and manage PPP projects of 6 billion US Dollar by 2025/26. Investment Board Nepal along with policy makers, private sector, experts and financing fraternities among others are here to brainstorm on potential innovative financial instruments and approaches for implementation of the development projects in a timely manner.
In line with our strategic pillar—coordination, collaboration and partnership; we are convening this important event as one of our annual program initiatives. I believe that this event will generate uniformity in understanding of development needs and role of private sector including FDI in achieving development targets and support required from financial institutions.
In conclusion, I believe that this conference is an excellent opportunity for us to come together and identify new pathways to sustainable growth and development. We must be ambitious but at the same time should be innovative and strategic in our approach. I am confident that, with the right mindset and partnerships, we can achieve our goals and build a prosperous and resilient Nepal.
(This opinion piece is developed from speech of Investment Board Nepal’s CEO Bhatta’s at an Int’l Conference on Financing for Nepal 2023 held on 12th May 2023 in Kathmandu)
