Washington D.C.: In a defining moment for Nepal’s economic transformation, the American Chamber of Commerce in Nepal (AmCham Nepal) has successfully concluded its flagship “Washington Door Knock” program, advancing a bold and future-facing vision to position Nepal as a global hub for clean energy–powered digital infrastructure, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and crypto-driven computing.
The delegation comprised Ajit Bikram Shah, Founding Chair of AmCham; Samrath Mogha, President of
Mogha Energy, and Amir R. Thapa, Executive Director, AmCham Nepal.
The team engaged in high-level strategic dialogues across the U.S. government and private sector, including the U.S. Department of State, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), reinforcing Nepal’s emergence as a credible and competitive destination for next-generation investment.
A key highlight of the mission was the planning of a forthcoming U.S.–Nepal Energy Roadshow, in
partnership with the U.S. Energy Association.
The initiative aims to connect Nepal’s hydropower potential with global investors and digital infrastructure leaders. CEO Mark W. Menezes welcomed the delegation and emphasized Nepal’s strategic role in the global clean energy transition.
The delegation also held substantive discussions with Ambassador (Ret.) Atul Keshap, Senior Vice President for South Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, expressed strong optimism regarding
Nepal’s political maturity and investment outlook, while encouraging deeper institutional and private
sector collaboration.
The “Hydro-to-Data” vision: Powering the digital future
At the heart of the mission lies a transformative proposition—leveraging Nepal’s vast hydropower
resources to fuel the rapidly expanding global demand for data processing, AI computation, and
blockchain-based technologies.
With abundant renewable energy and competitive cost structures, Nepal is uniquely positioned to host
sustainable hyperscale data centres and support energy-intensive sectors such as AI training models,
crypto mining, cloud computing, and decentralized digital systems.
“Transformational change demands bold thinking,” said Ajit Bikram Shah, Founding Chair of AmCham
Nepal. “Nepal must align with global economic shifts while advancing its strategic interests, transitioning from aid to trade to secure long-term prosperity.”
Strategic outcomes and diplomatic momentum
The mission delivered meaningful progress across key pillars:
USTDA Engagement: Strong interest in supporting feasibility studies for energy-intensive digital
infrastructure, including AI and data centre ecosystems.
DFC Investment Pathways: Productive discussions on financing mechanisms to support Nepali
enterprises and AmCham members in digital and energy infrastructure development.
Energy Roadshow Initiative: A high-level platform to integrate Nepal into global energy and digital
value chains.
Policy Dialogue: Engagements emphasized regulatory predictability, procurement reform, and
enabling frameworks to attract long-term investment—particularly in emerging sectors like AI and
crypto infrastructure.
From silicon peaks to global digital corridors
AmCham Nepal underscored the country’s growing ICT capabilities and its potential to evolve into a regional digital infrastructure hub. Engagements with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) focused on future collaboration in project structuring, regulatory modernization, and private sector–led growth.
A strategic window for Nepal
With critical infrastructure such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) transmission network advancing, Nepal stands at a unique inflexion point, capable of exporting surplus clean energy while simultaneously powering domestic and regional digital economies.
AmCham Nepal calls on the Government of Nepal to act decisively by reducing regulatory friction, ensuring policy stability, and enabling forward-looking frameworks that support AI, crypto, and data-driven industries.
“Nepal has the rare advantage of clean energy at scale in a data-hungry world,” said Samrath Mogha, President of Mogha Energy. “By aligning hydropower with AI and blockchain infrastructure, Nepal can position itself not just as an energy exporter, but as a digital backbone for the future global economy.”
“The future will not wait—and neither should Nepal,” the delegation emphasized.
The delegation also engaged with members of Capitol Hill, advocating for renewed congressional engagement and the revival of a Nepal-focused caucus to further strengthen a 78-year bilateral partnership and expand commercial ties.
Comment Here