Kathmandu- Masato Kanda, president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is scheduled to arrive in Nepal today for the first visit by the head of Nepal's largest development partner in nearly 15 years.

During his two-day visit on Monday and Tuesday, Kanda is expected to hold a series of high-level meetings with Nepal's political leadership.

He is scheduled to meet Balendra Shah on Tuesday. According to the schedule, Kanda will be accompanied by the ADB's Nepal team and members of his visiting delegation during the meeting.

Source at the Ministry of Finance said Kanda will also meet Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle on Monday. In addition, he is scheduled to visit the load dispatch center of the Nepal Electricity Authority, a project supported by ADB financing.

Two financing agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. The ADB will provide a US$50 million loan for the Customs Modernization Project and US$115 million for the Integrated Water Supply and Sewerage Management (Regional) Project.

Beyond project financing, discussions are also expected to cover broader policy issues. Kanda is likely to outline the ADB's investment priorities and strategic direction for member countries, including Nepal, during his meetings with the country's leadership.