KATHMANDU – CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel held a meeting today with Steve Driehaus, an American politician, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and expert in democratic governance and international development, at the UML central office in Chyasal.
Driehaus, a senior consultant at the National Democratic Institute (NDI), shared his experience and views on democracy and parliamentary practices during the meeting. General Secretary Pokhrel emphasised that, alongside strengthening democracy, American programmes should focus on promoting entrepreneurship among young people.
Stressing that democracy can succeed when people are economically empowered, Pokhrel said Nepal’s key challenge is to transform the country’s economy. He noted that organisations such as NDI and other institutions can play a role in supporting this process.
General Secretary Pokhrel also said that the development of information technology has made an important contribution to democracy and economic development. However, he expressed concern that, in recent years, certain companies have begun to exert disproportionate influence over the global economy and politics. He said the owners of technology companies have been investing not only in U.S. elections but also in elections in various countries to influence political outcomes, thereby constraining democracy and the economy.
Driehaus, who had come to Nepal to share his experience with Nepali lawmakers on democracy and parliamentary practices, said information technology played a major role in influencing the U.S. presidential election.
He said democracy ultimately means ensuring that citizens have access to basic services. He stressed that governments that fail to deliver such services must be held accountable.