IMF team completes scoping mission in Kathmandu for Nepal's Governance and Corruption Diagnostic

WASHINGTON, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) technical assistance team has completed a scoping mission in Kathmandu to prepare a Governance and Corruption Diagnostic for Nepal.

The mission, led by Jonathan Pampolina, visited Kathmandu from January 12 to 21, 2026, at the request of the Nepali authorities. The diagnostic, referred to as the 'GCD', is intended to identify macro‑economically critical governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities and to design an action plan with specific, sequenced recommendations and reform priorities.

The hybrid scoping mission engaged a wide range of stakeholders to assess vulnerabilities in the core state functions set out in the IMF’s 2018 Enhanced Governance Framework. For Nepal, the GCD will cover fiscal governance, including public financial management and revenue administration; financial sector oversight; rule of law; and anti‑money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). It will also assess the effectiveness of anti‑corruption legal and institutional frameworks in supporting macro‑economic objectives.

During the visit, the IMF team met senior officials from central institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank, Constitutional Council, Supreme Court of Nepal, Judicial Council, Public Service Commission, Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Attorney General, National Planning Commission, National Information Commission, National Vigilance Centre, Financial Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Finance Comptroller General’s Office, Inland Revenue Department, Department of Customs and the Special Court for Corruption Cases. The team also consulted business associations, civil society organisations and international development partners.

The IMF staff expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the Nepali authorities and said the main GCD mission will be conducted in the coming months to deepen engagement and discuss reform measures to strengthen governance, integrity and economic outcomes. "The diagnostic will culminate in a report that analyses the nature and severity of corruption in Nepal, identifies governance weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and proposes a targeted, prioritised and sequenced reform plan to mitigate them," the IMF said.

The GCD is expected to provide policy‑makers with an evidence‑based roadmap for reforms aligned with macro‑economic stability and development objectives. The IMF and the Nepali authorities will continue to coordinate the timing and scope of the main mission and subsequent technical work.