KATHMANDU: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is looking to inject private sector capital into Nepal’s railway network and emerging technology infrastructure, conditional on the establishment of a robust regulatory framework.

The investment pitch was finalized during a bilateral meeting on Friday between UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and Nepal’s Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, Gauri Kumari Yadav.

Beyond rail infrastructure, the Emirati delegation laid out concrete plans to finance large-scale agricultural projects and establish a “Green Data Center” to capitalize on Nepal’s information technology potential.

To support trade, the UAE agreed to provide technical assistance and funding for food quality testing and certification, aiming to streamline the export of Nepali fruits and vegetables to Emirati markets.

Minister Yadav welcomed the commitments, expressing gratitude for the recent launch of FlyDubai operations out of Pokhara International Airport.

She further proposed a structural expansion of the Nepal-UAE Business Forum to solidify commercial ties.

Thani affirmed the UAE’s confidence in Nepal’s new government and reiterated their readiness to deploy capital as soon as investment-friendly administrative systems are streamlined.