NDF preparatory meeting

A two-day long Nepal Donor Consultation Meeting (NDCM)-2008 is being organised in Kathmandu on February 21-22 to discuss peace process and development challenges.
The meeting basically aims at communicating with Nepal's development partners on its challenges and opportunities of peace and development in the context of post Jana Andolan-II, said finance minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, at a pre-event press meet, today. "Peace and development will be a major topic for the discussion, in which the government will apprise its development partners on current situation," he said.
The meeting also seeks to establish a close contact between government and development partners as well as government and Nepali citizens for launching peace and development activities together, he said, adding that the donors would have a chance to acquire first hand information on peace process and development challenges.
Dr Mahat further added that it would be an appropriate forum to build a climate of trust, cooperation and understanding through mutual dialogue, information sharing and collaboration between development partners and civil society. "Though the meeting is not a pledging conference," he said that the government would brief on the overall situation and need of resources to meet development challenges.
Besides evolving political situation and stabilisation of peace process, government also plans to brief the donors about Three-Year Interim Plan (TYIP) and need for ensuring resource availability for its implementation.
Other issues that the government is putting forth for discussion include the urgency of delivering peace dividend to people and need to disseminate the progress made on various reform initiatives as well as the constraints in managing the current state of transition.
Though it is not Nepal Development Forum (NDF), it is a prelude to the full-fledged NDF which the government plans to host sometime after the election, when the country will have reached a new phase of political stabilisation, Dr Mahat added.
The meeting will have four sessions and two presentations will be made on TYIP and Development Deliverables by Dr Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, vice-chairman of National Planning Commission.
Finance secretary Vidyadhar Mallik will make a presentation on 'Economic Update: Challenges and Road Ahead'. A roundtable session with representatives of political parties and civil society on 'Nepal's Evolving Peace Process and Development Derivatives' will also be held and Kul Chandra Gautam, former assistant secretary general of the UN is scheduled to moderate it.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is scheduled to inaugurate and address the meeting on Thursday. More than 125 donor representatives from development agencies (both bilateral and multilateral) are expected to take part in the meeting.
Liqun Jin, vice-president of the ADB will address the meeting representing Nepal's development partners.

CA poll vital for Nepal's development: Development partners
Nepal's development partners think that Constituent Assembly election is the vital step in Nepal's move to peace and development.
"However, Nepal's case is the unique in the world as it has witnessed comparatively peaceful transition. Not only that during the period of conflict also, the development process was continuing, though in a slower pace," they say.
During the last decade, seven remote districts were connected by roads and some 2.6 millions, mostly in Tarai, received citizenship. Despite huge challenges and some lost opportunities, these positive achievements during a period of conflict should be recognised," states a press release issued by the donors' community including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Canada, Denmark, European Commission, Germany, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, United Nations and United Kingdom.
They promise to support government's measures to strengthen peace process and improve the delivery of development benefits to the people. "Inclusive and credible elections, held in a free and fair atmosphere, are critical for the peace process. A representative Constituent Assembly is a long standing promise that can help ensure all Nepalis their stake in the creation of a new and inclusive state," reads the release.
They also pointed out that Nepal's future depends on its political leaders working together to take the country through these difficult time, implementing commitments and agreements made, supporting the rule of law, pushing forward with vital economic reforms that will create jobs and delivering the development dividends that only peace can provide.
"Formidable challenges remain and main obstacles must be overcome to build the 'peaceful, prosperous and just New Nepal', including social exclusion, rising inequality, limited access to often poor quality basic services including school children leaving school early and increasing social disruption and instability, particularly in the Terai."
They think that Nepalis want peace and stability and they also want the chance to make a decent living. Urgent attention should be given to the economy. Recent electricity and fuel shortages undermine enterprise and are a burden on daily life. We look forward to discussing the government's strategy to help create a safe and secure environment for sustainable economic growth and measure to help create more and better jobs for the people of Nepal, including the poor and excluded.