Nepal, May 8 -- The Ministry of Finance's recent Nepal's Current Economic Situation Report sets out to present a realistic assessment of the economy and provide a basis for policy direction. That objective is timely and important. Economic policy must begin with diagnosis, and a well-documented report is a necessary foundation for that process.

I write this in a spirit of constructive hope. I have welcomed this government and continue to wish it every success. But success requires clarity. Problems must be stated accurately before policies can be designed effectively. The value of a diagnostic report lies not only in the data it presents, but in how those data are selected and interpreted. On that front, the Report leaves important gaps....