Appeal For Relief
The UN World Food Program has issued international appeal for helping the conflict-hit needy people
By A CORRESPONDENT
The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Nepal is launching a US$49 million recovery program to assist over 1.2 million people who continue to struggle daily with the effects of the recently ended eleven-year conflict between the Maoists and the Government, states a press release by the WFP.
According to WFP's Country Representative in Nepal, Richard Ragan, this represents one of the largest UN initiatives to support the people of Nepal during the transition to a new democracy, and offers donors an opportunity to support a rapid, field-based approach to saving lives and improving livelihoods.
"Despite the political, social and security progress of the last six months, over one million people in Nepal are still struggling with the effects of the conflict – damage to critical infrastructure, and unequal access to basic services. This is on top of food insecurity exacerbated by three years of drought, conflict related market disruptions and the ongoing tensions in the Terai," said Ragan.
"Our goal is to provide immediate assistance so people can begin rebuilding their lives and be better prepared to participate in the historic process of reshaping Nepal as a peaceful, democratic and inclusive state," Ragan added. The aim of the program is to support Nepal's peace process by providing the most conflict-affected communities with quick-impact economic opportunities and local assets that will serve as a tangible peace dividend, and contribute to longer-term food security in Nepal.
Under the year-long program, WFP will provide food aid to some of the most conflict-affected communities in 28 districts across Nepal. Program activities will focus on three areas: critical infrastructure, return and reintegration, and non-formal education.
The objective of community-based activities will be to improve market access, create short-term employment, and facilitate basic service delivery. "This is a critical period in Nepal's peace process – expectations by the people are high. The challenge faced by the interim government – to address the root causes of the conflict while at the same time laying the foundation for a new democracy – is arduous. With WFP's deep field presence and experience at running emergency operations in Nepal, we are in the unique position to deliver immediate recovery assistance to remote, conflict-affected populations who have yet to benefit from the peace process," Ragan said.
As a result of the eleven-year conflict, over 13,000 people have been killed, an estimated 200,000 displaced and thousands of cases of critical infrastructure damage have been reported.
WFP projects in Nepal benefit currently approximately 1.4 million people, including food assistance to over 108,000 Bhutanese refugees. Operations include emergency assistance to drought-affected people in Mid- and Far-Western Nepal, and food for work, school feeding, and mother and child heath care activities.
FM PRADHAN VISITS ISRAEL
Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan has declared the government's decision to open an embassy in Israel very soon. “The announcement was made in her meeting with Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Livni,” states a press release by Israel Embassy in Kathmandu.
Pradhan is on an official visit to Israel - the first visit of a Nepalese Minister for Foreign Affairs to Israel since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1960. “Minister Pradhan also met with the elected President Mr Shimon Peres and greeted him formally on behalf of the Prime Minister of Nepal Girija Prased Koirala, for being elected to the presidency. Mr. Aaron Abramovich, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met the Hon. Minister. The Minister delivered a lecture at the Israel Council on Foreign Relations. The minister visited "Yad Vashem", the Holocaust Memorial and laid a wreath in honor of the holocaust victims.”
The statement adds, “Minister Livni expressed Israel's concerns regarding the threats posed to the whole world by the extreme regime of Iran. Minister Pradhan conveyed her hope for successful outcome of the Middle East Peace Process, based on UN Security Council resolution 242 and a two states solution.
Minister Livni appreciated the ongoing peace process in Nepal and acknowledged with satisfaction the opening of a Nepalese Embassy in Israel which to her view will strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries. Minister Livni also expressed Israel's desire to cooperate in various fields of priority for Nepal, through MASHAV - the center for international cooperation.”
During their meeting the two Ministers discussed also the issue of the Nepalese workers in Israel and took note of the need to reach an understanding that will enable to regulate the issue of Nepalese manpower employment in Israel. “The government of Israel has expressed it's willingness to consider the issue favorably. In the spirit of the friendly relations between their countries, the two ministers agreed to form a permanent mechanism for bilateral consultations between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs,” the release adds.
Minister Pradhan was accompanied by Hira Bahadur Thapa, Joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, her daughter Usha Shrestha and Shatrudhwan Prasad Sharma Pokharel, assistant personal secretary.
