KATHMANDU, Dec 5: Germany and Nepal on Friday celebrated 50 years of technical cooperation, bringing together government officials, development partners and long-standing collaborators at the GIZ Nepal premises in Khumaltar.
Held under the theme “Woven Through Time, Shaping Tomorrow Together”, the event highlighted key milestones of a partnership that began with heritage preservation in Bhaktapur in the early 1970s. Over the decades, cooperation expanded into infrastructure and urban development, industrial and entrepreneurial support, agriculture and forest management, peacebuilding and conflict transformation, and post-earthquake reconstruction. Today, it stands as one of Nepal’s longest-running international collaborations in energy, health and sustainable economic development.
German Development Cooperation has evolved into several institutions—GIZ (celebrating 50 years of technical engagement in Nepal), KfW Development Bank (German financial cooperation), and PTB (supporting quality assurance across sectors). Each operates with distinct expertise but shares a common approach rooted in mutual respect, partnership and shared progress.
Nepal and Germany sign Financial and Technical Cooperation Agre...
Germany–Nepal cooperation is now closely aligned with Nepal’s national priorities and supports the country’s regional and global commitments. The anniversary marks both a celebration of achievements and a reaffirmation of future collaboration.
Finance Minister and Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Rameshwor Prasad Khanal, the chief guest, described the 50-year partnership as “a story of trust, cooperation and shared aspirations”.
“It is a great privilege for me, on behalf of the Government of Nepal, to join in celebrating 50 years of GIZ’s dedicated service to our country,” he said. “This milestone is evidence of what long-term cooperation, mutual respect and a shared vision can achieve.”
Reflecting on GIZ’s contributions, he added that the organisation had been “more than a development agency” and had served as a committed partner in Nepal’s pursuit of sustainable growth, social inclusion and improved well-being. He called for deeper collaboration in renewable energy, public health, decentralisation, sustainable infrastructure, inclusive economic growth and enhanced revenue systems.
Minister Khanal also expressed the government’s appreciation: “Let this golden jubilee be a renewed beginning— a call to collaboration, shared purpose and continued progress towards a greener, healthier and more equitable Nepal.”
German Ambassador to Nepal Udo Volz reflected on the partnership’s origins in Bhaktapur’s restoration. “A commitment that meant: your heritage matters, and we will help you preserve it,” he said. “What started with restoring temples now provides digital solutions. What began with preserving the past now includes preparing for the future.”
GIZ Nepal Country Representative Paulina Campos Monteros highlighted the organisation’s facilitative role. “We see ourselves as facilitators and long-term partners, bringing technical expertise and practical solutions developed hand-in-hand with government, civil society, the private sector and communities.”
A panel discussion looked back on five decades of cooperation and set out priorities for the future, with panellists underscoring local ownership, inclusive partnerships and long-term commitment as essential for achieving sustainable results across Nepal.
The event reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Nepal’s long-term prosperity and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) together.
