EU offers Rs 9.8 billion aid package to fight coronavirus

The European Union (EU) has announced an aid package of Rs 9.8 billion (Euro 75 million) for Nepal to tackle the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and mitigate its impact.
The support combines redirected existing commitments with new funds, granted in the form of budget support to allow the government direct and swift access to this financing, according to a press note issued by the EU Delegation to Nepal.
“In difficult times, the European Union is a reliable friend and partner for Nepal,” it reads, adding that the EU hopes that its contribution will support the efforts of the government to respond effectively to this crisis so that the impact on the most vulnerable is reduced. “International cooperation and solidarity are now more important than ever,” EU ambassador to Nepal Veronica Cody said.
Across the world, the EU is ensuring that partner countries are able to fight the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences. By combining resources from the EU, its member states, and European financial institutions, the EU has put together a ‘Team Europe’ package totaling more than Euro 20 billion to support its partners’ immediate health responses to the coronavirus, as well as their economic recovery, according to the press note.
In Nepal, the EU is mobilising Rs 9.8 billion (Euro 75 million), of which Rs 7.2 billion (Euro 55 million), is a reorientation of the existing funds and Rs 2.6 billion (Euro 20 million) represents a new commitment. “The EU’s support will be directed at two areas: assisting the Nepali authorities to respond to the immediate health crisis and boosting the country’s economic response and recovery," the press note further reads.
The EU will give Rs 1.6 billion (Euro 12 million) to support the government’s health and preparedness plan. These funds are being made available either by topping up resources for already existing projects focussing on the health sector or by reorienting resources to other projects that would integrate health-related activities and crisis response, including tackling gender-based violence. Similarly, Rs 8.2 billion (Euro 62.6 million) will support the government’s response to the social and economic consequences of the pandemic.
The press note also reads that although the government’s strict measures to trace, isolate and treat the virus have so far helped to contain the health crisis, such measures will, as in all countries worldwide, have a negative economic impact. “By stimulating the economy and labour demand, through support to people’s incomes, employment retention, and the extension of social protection programmes that assist the most vulnerable, the European Union (EU) hopes to assist the government’s economic recovery plan," the press note adds.

UN, Australia, EU nations concerned on sexual violence

Issuing a joint press note, the United Nations (UN), Australia and five European countries have expressed concern about the reported impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence and violence against women in Nepal and have urged the government to ensure ‘access to justice for victims, stand for the victims’ rights and send a zero-tolerance message to combat gender-based violence’.
Embassy of Australia, Embassy of Finland, Embassy of France, Embassy of Norway, Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of the United Kingdom, United Nations in Nepal call comes after Krishna Bahadur Mahara stepped down as the House of Representatives speaker after facing allegations of raping Roshani Shahi, a nurse at the Parliament Secretariat.
Without referring to the scandal surrounding Mahara, the UN and Nepal-based embassies of Australia, Finland, France, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom today – in the press note – said, “While certain cases may still be under investigation, we remind the government about its obligations under the international law to ensure access to justice for victims, stand for the victims’ rights and send a zero-tolerance message to combat gender-based violence.”
International standards and Nepal’s obligations under international law, as indicated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, require the government to conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into allegations, reads the joint statement.
Recommendation No 35 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women provides guidance to states concerning their due diligence obligations to investigate all crimes, including that of sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls, and to sentence perpetrators, provide reparations to victims and prevent further violence by addressing the causes and impacts of all forms of violence against women.
Investigation into sexual violence, however, should be victim-centric, adds the statement. “Such an approach places the human rights, interests and needs of the victims at the centre of any and all actions taken in relation to the allegations, not only in investigations, but also by providing victim assistance and protection, with the principles of ‘do no harm,’ confidentiality, safety and non-discrimination,” the statement adds.
This is the first statement from the international community since Shahi accused Mahara of physically assaulting and raping her. “We are particularly concerned about the reported impunity for the perpetrators of sexual violence and violence against women, as also stated by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women during her visit to Nepal in November 2018,” it reads, adding that cases such as Nirmala Panta and Maya BK demonstrate the challenges victims and their families face in seeking justice. “Such measures are particularly important in Nepal where the prevalence of violence against women and impunity for these crimes remains high, and continues to have a negative impact on women, children and the community at large in Nepal.”
The undersigned remain committed to assisting Nepal in combating violence against women and advancing gender equality, in line with Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it adds.

Rural Nepal benefits from Rs 1.5 billion EU-funded Renewable Energy Project

Close to a million people living in remote villages of 21 Himalayan districts of Nepal now benefit from services supported by renewable energy following the successful completion of the Renewable Energy Project (REP).

The project was co-funded by the European Union through a Euro15 million grant (approximately Rs 1.5 billion) to the government, which contributed Euro675,000 implemented the project through its Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (APEC). The project has invested in the required infrastructure for renewable electricity generation.

The Renewable Energy Project has established the foundation for rural communities in Nepal to move towards the sustainable use of resources, conservation of the environment and enhancement of their local economies. More concretely, the project has provided solar systems to over 206 health posts, 378 schools, 29 community computer literacy programmes, 59 community entertainment centres, as well as 124 community telecommunication centres across the country. In addition, the project has successfully promoted income generating activities by providing 107 agro grinding mills, 30 water pumping systems, 24 solar dryers and 14 solar hot water systems.

The REP has put in place renewable energy infrastructures in these remote rural areas to facilitate income generation, sustainable growth and delivery of social services, thus alleviating poverty through the installation of 933 Photovoltaic (PV), and 38 thermal systems.

Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Nepal Dr Alexander Spachis said that the REP is an excellent example of a joint undertaking between Nepal and the EU that has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life in rural areas of Nepal.

Ambassador Spachis further stated that high-level officials from the EU have had the opportunity to visit the project in the field. Their feedback has been very positive and the EU is currently exploring further bilateral cooperation in this sector.

"Nepal attaches top priority to tapping the immense renewable energy potential that it possesses for reducing poverty through promoting inclusive, green and sustainable economic development,” secretary for Environment, Science and Technology Krishna Gyawali said at the handover ceremony of the REP Project today. “The EU's support to this end with the implementation of the just completed Renewable Energy Project has been extremely helpful,” he said, adding that Nepal would like to thank EU for this, and request for further support in various forms to promote this sector.

Executive Director of AEPC, Dr Govind Raj Pokharel also thanked the EU for supporting Renewable Energy Technologies in the remote rural areas of Nepal. He stressed that this project has contributed to improving living standard of the rural people, improving local environment and most importantly increasing access to clean energy.

Many students in the remote districts of Nepal share these feelings. They believe that the installation of solar panels in their schools has brought about significant changes to the teaching methodologies with many more opportunities available now to access information and news.

To ensure sustainability the project has trained 168 Community Organisations to take on the role as Community Energy Service Providers (CESPs). The CESP is a new and unique approach to involve rural population in the delivery of energy services to their respective communities, thereby enhancing active participation, accountability and ownership in the project.

World Bank hails successful promotion of TSA

Nepal's experience on Treasury Single Account (TSA) may be useful to other countries in the South Asian region and other parts of the globe.
Nepal has achieved remarkable success in promoting and maintaining TSA in a short span of time, said mission head of World Bank Manoj Jain in the 10th Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) meeting today.
"It will be a role model for other countries," he said, adding that integration of information technology in the system will further enhance the account management system. Financial management is a key issue today and Nepal's progress is remarkable, he added.
The government has expanded TSA in 60 districts including Kathmandu from the current fiscal year. Last year, the programme was implemented in 38 districts. "Now, 95 per cent of the government's revenue and expenditure accounts are under the TSA system," said finance secretary Krishna Hari Baskota.
He assured donors — World Bank, European Union, DFID and others — who attended the meeting that the government will implement TSA for effective use of resources and transparency. Donors must support us in maintaining a standard of public expenditure and financial accountability, he added.
The five-year-long TSA project was started in 2011 to improve accounting system, and enhance auditing and reporting system. "Proper use of information technology and strategic implementation of the programme will improve the financial system of the country," said comptroller general Pratap Kumar Pathak.
In the meeting, PEFA coordinator Mahesh Dahal outlined the achievements and weaknesses of the programme and briefed on the future strategy. Similarly, World Bank experts presented study reports on Public Financial Management Capacity Development, and Accounting and Reporting System.

EU provides Rs 400.8m to promote agriculture, nutrition

The European Union (EU) funded 'Agriculture and Nutrition Extension (ANE) project launched on Friday aims at improving the food security and nutrition of 20,000 households identified as the poorest and vulnerable in Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Rukum and Surkhet districts of Nepal including 40,000 additional households in the Barisal district of Bangladesh.
International Development Enterprises Nepal (IDE-Nepal) has joined hands with seven other partners — CIMMYT, WorldFish, IRRI, Save The Children, CEAPRED, BES and CODEC to run the project. IDE successfully submitted the ANE project proposal as part of a global competitive call. The EU has provided an assistance of Euro3,644,677 (approx Rs 400.8 million) for the three-year project.
The decision to support the project comes in the wake of the successful completion of the European Union Food Facility Project (EUFF), which was implemented in eighteen districts of mid and far western Nepal through a total contribution of Euro23.5 million. Several partners of the newly launched initiative had been mobilised under the Food Facility to carry out similar activities in Humla, Mugu, Rukum, Rokpa and Banke districts from January 2010 to October 2011.
The project will work in two terai districts of Rupandehi and Nawalparsi selected because they are part of a technology development hub being implemented by the International Centres and NARC and two hill districts Rukum and Surkhet were selected for their suitability for a programme to develop exports and linkages for vegetable seeds between Nepal to Bangladesh.
One of the major goals of the project is to develop market linkages between rural and urban areas and promote exchange of expertise and technologies between agricultural and research institutions in Nepal and Bangladesh, both at the national and grassroots levels.
The project activities seek to disseminate training on new and emerging agricultural technologies to farmers helping them to step up productivity and increase their annual incomes. The project will expose them to new agriculture technologies based on market development approaches and the Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA). The training component has also encompassed public and private institutions.
The project also aims at conducting nutrition education, monitoring and counselling for the poor, rural and urban households for increasing the consumption of nutritious foods.
Women and children in both countries, who have been facing nutritional problems, will be made the target beneficiaries of the project. The project seeks to help 60,000 households to increase their annual income by at least 75 Euros from production and sales of high- value agricultural commodities. Similarly, 1000 households are expected to increase their annual income by Euro100 from seed sales.
Overall, the project seeks to help 60,000 poor and excluded household – 40,000 in Bangladesh and 20,000 in Nepal – to increase their income and nutritional status.

Global trade drops by 12 per cent

Global trade last year suffered its biggest collapse since World War II, an unprecedented 12 per cent drop according to new figures, with worrying signs suggesting 2010 threatens only mediocre recovery.
"World trade has also been a casualty of the crisis, contracting in volume by around 12 per cent in 2009," Pascal Lamy, director general of the World Trade Organisation, told an audience in Brussels on Wednesday.
"It is the sharpest decline since the end of the Second World War," Lamy said, and a steep downwards revision from the WTO's most recent estimate, in December, of 10 per cent. While he would give "no forecast" for 2010 trade growth, he insisted a "pickup" is underway, but led by an "overheating" China, could not say whether it is short-term or sustainable.
The massive contraction makes it "economically imperative to conclude" stalled international free trade talks in 2010, Lamy told business figures and policymakers at the European Policy Centre, a Brussels think-tank.
The Doha Round of trade negotiations that began in 2001 with a focus on dismantling obstacles to trade for poor nations has been dogged by intractable disagreements. These include how much the United States and the European Union should reduce farm aid and the extent to which developing countries such as India and China should lower tariffs.
Deadlines to conclude the talks have been repeatedly missed, with the latest being the end of this year.
Lamy blamed last year's trade "freefall" on a reduction in demand "across all major world economies" as well as the drying-up of trade financing and rising tariffs or national subsidies. Some protectionist response "was to be expected," he said, although he maintained that worries of "runaway protectionism" had proved an exaggeration.
Amid vast government deficits, he said the biggest enemy to a sustained pick-up was "intolerably high" unemployment that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates has hit 200 million people worldwide -- 20 million of whom have lost their jobs since the crisis began on Wall Street.
"The political consequences in my view are still to come," Lamy warned of the so-called jobless recovery, underlining that "keeping international markets open is vital" if negative global economic growth of minus 2.2 percent in 2009 is to be reversed. He revealed the latest WTO figures in order to underscore his argument that completing the Doha treaty talks was essential to re-booting the global economy after recession. Lamy said getting agreement on Doha is a "challenge" but said the world was "80 percent" there. He also said he "wouldn't venture any prediction" on when Russia would come on board.
Along with Brazil, China and India, Russia makes up a quartet of developing economies said to hold the key to conclusion of a deal that would cut agriculture subsidies and tariffs on industrial goods. On Wednesday, Australia resumed bilateral free-trade talks with China after a 14-month gap.
Speaking the previous evening at the European parliament, Lamy said Europe could speed up Doha progress if it made its position clearer on fisheries subsidies. "This is a candidate for a bit of poking on your side," he said.
However, he also admitted that agricultural subsidies would remain at levels up to four times higher than in industry, as a "contribution to the problem of food security."
The EU and the US are each under greater pressure now than when negotiations were first launched. Recent data has also shown US consumer confidence lower than expected and zero percent growth in the fourth quarter for EU giant Germany.
Bank of England governor Mervyn King also on Wednesday expressed worries over the health of its key trading partner, the 16-nation eurozone economy, which is suffering on markets amid heavy Greek debts. -- AFP