Yuba Raj Khatiwada (Nepali: युवराज खतिवडा; born 14 August 1956) is a former Nepali politician and economist who has served as the Ambassador of Nepal to the United States since 17 February 2021. As the residential ambassador of Nepal to the US, he was also the non-residential ambassador to Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala and was entitled to look after the affairs related to the World Bank, IMF, and the World Bank Group (IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA and ICSID).[1] He was a member of the National Assembly from 2018 to 2020 and was a minister in the cabinet of KP Sharma Oli from February 2018 to September 2020. He previously served as the governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank, as well as the vice-chair of the National Planning Commission.
Yuba Raj Khatiwada | |
|---|---|
युवराज खतिवडा | |
 | |
| Ambassador of Nepal to the United States | |
| In office 17 February 2021 – 21 September 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | Sher Bahadur Deuba |
| Preceded by | Arjun Karki |
| Minister for Finance | |
| In office 26 February 2018 – 4 September 2020[a] | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | KP Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Gyanendra Bahadur Karki |
| Succeeded by | Bishnu Prasad Paudel |
| Minister for Information and Communications | |
| In office 20 February 2020 – 4 September 2020[a] | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | KP Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Gokul Prasad Baskota |
| Succeeded by | Parbat Gurung |
| Nominated Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 10 March 2018 – 3 March 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Assembly reinstated |
| Succeeded by | Bam Dev Gautam |
| 15th Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank | |
| In office 22 March 2010 – 19 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Deependra Bahadur Kshetry |
| Succeeded by | Chiranjivi Nepal |
| Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission | |
| In office November 2015 – August 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Dr Govinda Pokharel |
| Succeeded by | Min Bahadur Shrestha |
| In office June 2009 – March 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Dr Guna Nidhi Sharma |
| Succeeded by | Jagadish Chandra Pokharel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 August 1956 Taplejung, Nepal |
| Nationality | Nepali |
| Political party | Nepal Communist Party (NCP) |
| Residence(s) | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Alma mater | Tribhuvan University University of Delhi (PhD) |
| Profession | Politician, Economist |
Political career edit
Khatiwada served as a nominated member of National Assembly from 2018 to 2020. He was appointed Minister of Finance on 26 February 2018.[2][3] After the resignation of Gokul Prasad Baskota, he was given the portfolio of Information and Communications as well on 20 February 2020, becoming the spokesperson of the Government of Nepal.[4] Khatiwada resigned from both ministerial posts on 3 March 2020 when his two-year term in the National Assembly ended, however he was reappointed the next day.[5][6][7] As any member of the cabinet must become a member of either houses of the parliament within six months of appointment, Khatiwada resigned from the cabinet on 4 September 2020 when he was not renominated and Bamdev Gautam was nominated to succeed him in the National Assembly.[8][9] Subsequently, he was appointed as a special economic advisor to the prime minister with benefits on par with a minister.[10] On 1 October 2020, the cabinet recommended Khatiwada as Nepal's Ambassador to the United States of America.[11] He was appointed ambassador by president Bidya Devi Bhandari on 22 December 2020,[12] and presented his credentials to the president of the United States, Joe Biden, on 17 February 2021.[13]
Economist career edit
Khatiwada served two tenures as the vice chairman of the National Planning Commission, first from June 2009 to March 2010 and again from November 2015 to August 2016.[14][15][16] Between those two tenures at the planning commission, he served as the 15th Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank of Nepal. He also served as the senior economist in the regional centre of UNDP for Asia and the Pacific for the United Nations from 2006 to 2009. He had also been appointed member of the National Planning Commission from 2002 to 2005.[citation needed]
Khatiwada was the Head of the Economic Research Department of the Nepal Rastra Bank from 1999 to 2002, a postgraduate teacher at Tribhuvan University in 1982, and intermittently, a visiting faculty member at Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University from 1992 to 2001. He received his master's degrees in Economics and Public Administration from Tribhuvan University in 1981 and 1984 respectively, and a PhD in Monetary Economics from Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi in 1991.[citation needed]
Awards and recognitions edit
Khatiwada has been awarded with national awards such as the Suprabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu (2001), Sukirtimaya Rastra Deep (2013) and Prasiddha Prabal Jana Sewa Shree (2016) conferred by the President of Nepal for his outstanding contribution to the development of Nepal in his different capacities.[citation needed]
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ "Nepali Missions with Concurrent Accreditation - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal MOFA". mofa.gov.np. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "What are messages of Khatiwada's appointment as Finance Minister?". OnlineKhabar English News. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Rai, Ramesh Kumar and Om Astha (26 February 2018). "Yuba Raj Khatiwada's turn". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Baskota's resignation approved; ministerial portfolio to Khatiwada". Khabarhub. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Khatiwada resigns to be reappointed as minister". OnlineKhabar English News. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Sureis (4 March 2020). "Yubaraj Khatiwada resigns as finance minister, likely to be reappointed today". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Republica. "Newly appointed Finance Minister Khatiwada takes oath". My Republica. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Yubaraj Khatiwada resigns as finance and communication minister". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Setopati, Sanjib Bagale. "Cabinet recommends Bam Dev Gautam to National Assembly". Setopati. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Government appoints Khatiwada as special economic advisor to Prime Minister Oli". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada recommended Ambassador to United States". Khabarhub. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Thapa, Richa (22 December 2020). "President Bhandari appoints Yubaraj Khatiwada as ambassador to the US". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Press Release on Acceptance of 'Letters of Credence' – Embassy of Nepal, Washington DC, USA". 22 February 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Singh, Rishi (23 June 2009). "Dr Khatiwada NPC VC". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Govt brings back Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada as NPC vice-chairman". The Himalayan Times. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Mausam (5 November 2015). "Khatiwada appointed new NPC Vice-chair". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 5 March 2021.