NRB Governor Poudel attends 95th BIS annual meet in Switzerland

KATHMANDU: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor Biswo Nath Poudel attended the 95th annual meeting of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) from June 27 to June 29, 2025.

The BIS, founded in 1930, is an international financial institution comprising 63 central banks. Its mandate is to maintain monetary and financial stability, promote cooperation among central banks and develop the global financial system.

At the meeting, Governor Poudel took part in interactive programmes on CPMI Emerging Markets and Developing Economics–Bridging Gaps: Financial Inclusion, Regional Integration and Cross-Border Payments, and the BIS Innovation Hub Seminar: AI and Safety. These sessions addressed achievements and challenges in cross-border payment systems, the application of artificial intelligence in central banking and the policy responses required. He also joined a session on Regulation and Competitiveness. BIS General Manager Agustín Carstens released the annual report, and Professor Maurice Obstfeld presented a paper entitled 'The International Monetary System: A Fork in the Road'.

In bilateral talks, Governor Poudel met BIS General Manager Carstens and held discussions with Luis Bengoechea, head of the BIS Banking Department. Topics included potential cooperation on foreign-exchange reserve management, including gold purchases for diversification and investment in new instruments, as well as strategies for safe and profitable reserve management.

Governor Poudel also met Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation, improving payment systems and developing human-resource capacity. A further meeting with People’s Bank of China (PBC) Governor Pan Gongsheng focused on strengthening bilateral relations, banking transactions and payment-system efficiency.

Piudel was accompanied by Govinda Prasad Nagila, Director of NRB’s Banks and Financial Institutions Regulation Department, and Sharan Kumar Adhikari, Director at the Office of the Governor.