Complexity of BRI Engagement : Case of Pokhara Airport and Cautionary Lessons on Debt Dependency
-Keshav Nepal Kathmadu-Pokhara International Airport, a prominent venture under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has sparked a discussion in Nepal regarding the risks involved in major foreign-funded projects. Built with a substantial loan from China’s Exim Bank, the airport has intensified concerns over the financial obligations Nepal may incur without sufficient economic returns to cover these costs. Seven years into the BRI agreement, questions linger about its pace of progress and the wider implications for Nepal’s economy, sovereignty, and international standing. Nepal joined the BRI in 2017 with the aim of achieving growth, economic integration, and robust infrastructure...
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