On 26 February 2026, APO Director for Nepal Maddhu Sudan Burlakoti, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, formalized the Strategic Partnership Program (SPP) Primer for Nepal with APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata through an online signing ceremony. This signing marked an important step in strengthening cooperation under the APO Vision 2030.

The SPP Primer establishes a structured framework to guide collaboration between the APO and Nepal, aligning productivity initiatives with national development priorities and strengthening institutional coordination.

Guided by Nepal’s vision of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali” and the 16th Five-Year Development Plan (2024–2029), the framework ensures that APO-supported initiatives contribute directly to national policy priorities.

Nepal has identified two priority areas under the SPP: (1) strengthening the productivity and resilience of agriculture-based micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through digital transformation and skills upgrading and (2) enhancing the competitiveness of the wellness tourism ecosystem through quality improvement, small and medium-sized enterprise capability development, digital readiness, and climate-resilient destination planning.

APO Director Burlakoti and Secretary-General Dr. Indra both reaffirmed their commitment to translating the partnership into concrete initiatives that enhance productivity, strengthen institutions, and support sustainable and inclusive economic development.