Finance Minister Wagle in Washington to seek reconstruction support and a route off the FATF grey list

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle arrived in Washington on Sunday night, 4 October, leading a two-member delegation, Onlinekhabar reported. Meetings were scheduled for Monday with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and World Bank President Ajay Banga, plus US International Development Finance Corporation officials and private investors. Stated aims are support for Nepal leaving the Financial Action Task Force grey list, funding for flood-damaged infrastructure and investment in roads and transmission. Nepal has been on the grey list since February 2025, and the June 2026 FATF plenary kept it there.

Kathmandu Post reported earlier that reconstruction needs may reach US$4–5 billion, and that ministers prefer grants to loans. Remittance-dependent families should note FATF itself cautions against disrupting legitimate remittances, but compliance costs for banks can rise. Meeting outcomes had not been published at the time of writing.