Kathmandu — Economist and politician Swarnim Wagle has been appointed Nepal’s Minister for Finance, adding an experienced policy expert to the country’s economic leadership. Wagle, elected from Tanahun–2 to the House of Representatives, also serves as vice-chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party.
He holds a PhD in economics from the Australian National University. His professional background includes serving as chief economic adviser for the Asia-Pacific region at the United Nations Development Programme, along with roles at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies, the World Bank and Kathmandu University.
Before joining the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Wagle was affiliated with the Nepali Congress. He was appointed vice-chair of the National Planning Commission by former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
He has been active in economic policy discussions and development planning. Following the 2015 Nepal earthquake, he was involved in post-disaster needs assessment and international support coordination.
Wagle has studied at the London School of Economics, Harvard University and the Australian National University. In 2022, he worked as a co-editor of The Great Upheaval associated with the University of Cambridge.
He has advocated for economic reforms, including increasing Nepal’s GDP in the coming years. He has also argued for breaking links between political actors and construction interests, and for improving the use of capital toward productive sectors.
Wagle has emphasized implementing recommendations from the 2018 Public Sector Review Commission, including restructuring or merging development boards and councils. Ahead of the elections, Rabi Lamichhane had indicated Wagle as a potential candidate for the finance minister position.
