Kathmandu, Jan.4: Kenichi Ohashi, who had worked as the World Bank’s Country Co-ordinator for Nepal and Sri Lanka in 1999, is now the multilateral agency’s country director for Nepal.

Ohashi was appointed as the World Bank’s country director for Nepal effective from December 17, 2000, a World Bank press statement stated here today.

“A Japanese national, Ohashi joined the bank in 1979 as an economist in the Treasurer’s Department where he was involved in the management of the bank’s portfolio of liquid assets,” the statement read. “In 1986, he was transferred to the East Asia and Pacific Region as Senior Economist in Malaysia, Papua-New Guinea and South Pacific Country Division.”

In 1989, according to the press statement, Ohashi joined the Cofinancing and Financial Advisory Services where he served as the Advisor to the Vice President of the bank for two years. “An economist by training, Ohashi holds a BA from the University of Tokyo and a Ph.D from the Cornell University.”

Even if Ohashi will take up his residence in Kathmandu in summer this year, he will make extended visits to Nepal before then, the press statement of the bank said.