US pledges support to buy two helicopters for Nepali Army to enhance its disaster response capacity

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard R. Verma, departed for India following a one-day official visit to Nepal on Friday.

During his stay in Kathmandu, Deputy Secretary Verma met with Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba. These discussions focused on U.S. support for Nepal’s aspirations to build a sustainable, inclusive future and on strengthening the U.S.-Nepal partnership, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu.

Foreign Minister Rana confirmed that the meetings touched on various aspects of Nepal-U.S. relations, particularly in the realm of development cooperation.

The U.S. Embassy also revealed that the United States has expressed its readiness to assist the Nepalese Army in purchasing helicopters for disaster response. The Nepalese Army had previously requested U.S. support to acquire two helicopters during Chief of Army Staff Prabhuram Sharma’s visit to the United States.