Director for Asia of the EuropeAid Cooperation Office (AIDCO) of the European Commission, Erich W Muller arrived in the capital on Wednesday afternoon, two hours later than the scheduled time.
He landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport at 3:15 p.m.
According to an official at the European Delegation in Kathmandu, Muller will hold meetings with Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat and Dr Suresh Chalise, external affairs advisor of the prime minister on Wednesday. However, his meeting with the officials of the peace secretariat has been cancelled due to delay in the flight.
According to the officer, he will hold series of discussion with the civil society leaders, various UN agencies and representative of the World Bank in Nepal during his three day Nepal visit.
The discussion will focus on resumption of withheld financial support to Nepal and identifying the key areas where Nepal needs foreign help for its development activities.
A press release issued by the European Union said this is the first time an AIDCO official at Director’s level is undertaking a bilateral visit to Nepal.
This is a second high-level European Commission visit to Nepal following the political change in the country. Hervé Jouanjean, Deputy Director General of the Directorate-General for External Relations of the European Commission (EC) visited Nepal on 1-2 June 2006.