KATHMANDU: United States Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers delivered the keynote address at Ascent Summit 2026 in Kathmandu on May 31, joining over 1,400 participants drawn from Nepal's mountaineering, tourism, and adventure sectors alongside international expedition leaders, innovators, and outdoor industry representatives.

Rogers highlighted the US-Nepal partnership, underscoring how adventure tourism, entrepreneurship, and people-to-people ties were expanding bilateral cooperation and creating opportunities for American companies in Nepal. She stressed the role of new technology, safety standards, and international collaboration in advancing Himalayan expedition experiences.

The summit was organised by the US Embassy Nepal in partnership with Nepal Tourism Board and Seven Summit Treks. Climbers, expedition operators, outdoor brands, community leaders, and tourism professionals used the platform to explore how Nepal's mountaineering heritage and American innovation could make expeditions safer and strengthen Nepal's adventure tourism sector.

Other prominent participants included Sumnima Udas, Member of the House of Representatives and Chair of the International Relations and Tourism Committee, and renowned mountaineer Conrad Anker.

On the sidelines of the summit, Rogers also met senior government officials, members of the American Chamber of Commerce, and alumni of US government exchange and education programmes. The visit, the embassy said, reaffirms Washington's commitment to strengthening the US-Nepal partnership through economic cooperation and innovation.