A war on graft, or a wager on power?
Summary
Nepal's new government under Prime Minister Balendra Shah has launched an ambitious plan to audit the assets of senior politicians and officials dating back to 1991, aiming to confront systemic corruption and improve governance transparency amidst domestic and international pressure.
Key Points
- Nepal's government led by Balendra Shah has announced a 100-day plan to confront systemic corruption by auditing assets of politicians and officials since 1991.
- A powerful asset-investigation committee under the prime minister's office will be created within 15 days to scrutinize wealth accumulated during Nepal's democratic transition.
- Efforts include institutional reforms such as restructuring the National Vigilance Center and building an integrated digital asset registry to improve oversight.
- Nepal faces pressure to exit the Financial Action Task Force grey list by demonstrating credible anti-money laundering reforms, linking anti-corruption to economic and international credibility.
