Kathmandu, Apr. 19: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Robin Cook’s official visit to Nepal beginning tomorrow is expected to further consolidating bilateral relations subsisting between the two countries.

Mr Cook is the first Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to make an official visit to Nepal at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart.

Britain is the second largest bilateral donor country. In 1998-99, dfid of Britain made an investment of 17.2 million Sterling Pound.

The fund has promised to make investment in the same ratio in the current fiscal year. It established an office in Nepal to identify and resolve problems leading to poverty.

Dfid programmes are focussed on good governance, human development and improving quality of life of the village people.

The fund also launched a programme aimed at building a civic society with more powers in 1997 which will run till October this year.

The dfid is also working through the Finance Ministry for consolidating the fiscal management system of His Majesty’s Government. Under the comprehensive strategic management process, the project is assisting in budget formulation and keeping annual accounts.

The fund is also cooperating in the process for transfering ownership and management of government enterprises to the private sector through the four-year privatization project.

It has also been helping in making Nepal Police service more honourable and reliable.

In the health sector, it has launched the district health project, safe motherhood project and a project started with the partnership of the United Nations Population Fund (unfp).

Similarly, in the education sector, the fund has been assisting in secondary education project, teacher volunteer service and Community Literacy Project, etc.

The fund has also assisted in seed production project, hilly area agriculture research proejct, Nepal-Uk Community Forest Project, Bridge Construction and Improvement Project, Eastern Regional Road Improvement Project and the Road Improvement Project, etc.