Nepal seeks to turn geography into strategic advantage, foreign minister says

NEW YORK: Nepal must turn its position between India and China into an economic, digital and strategic advantage rather than allow geography to constrain its ambitions, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said today.
Speaking at an Asia Society event - in the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) - in New York titled ‘Steering Nepal’s Future in Asia’s Rising Century,’ Khanal said Nepal should move beyond its traditional image as a small country and position itself as a bridge connecting Asian economies, markets and civilisations.
“Nepal is not small but is strategically located,” Khanal said, adding that the size of its neighbours should not become a limit to Nepal’s ambitions.
Khanal said Asia’s rise, with about 60 per cent of the world’s population and a large share of global economic activity, presented an important opportunity for Nepal. South Asia alone has a population of about two billion, he said, adding that Kathmandu could become a centre of the region’s economic and social transformation. "Our question is no longer how Nepal can survive between two large neighbours. Our question is how Nepal can create value between them and beyond them."
Nepal’s strategy should be based on what Khanal called “developmental autonomy”, with a national goal of becoming a middle-income country within 10 years and a high-income developed country by 2050.
He said Nepal would seek to expand its economic and diplomatic policy space through broader international engagement while deepening ties with India, China and other major partners.
With India, Nepal should connect its open border more closely with production and markets, Khanal said, advocating “thick connectivity and thin borders” through greater economic interdependence.
Nepal should also use its hydropower potential to support regional economic integration, he said. Clean electricity is already being exported to Bangladesh through India, while border economic zones could help connect Nepali production to global supply chains.
With China, Nepal should pursue long-term cooperation in roads, tunnels, dry ports, aviation, digital networks and cross-border railways, he said. “Connectivity should not be measured only by kilometres of infrastructure, but by the movement of goods, services, investment, tourists and opportunities."
He also called for greater Nepal-China cooperation on glacier monitoring, disaster early-warning systems, water data sharing, climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure. Such projects, he said, should be based on transparent financing, rigorous feasibility studies and value for money.
Khanal also placed climate change among Nepal’s strategic foreign-policy priorities following the devastating floods that struck the country on August 26.
He described the disaster as a “Himalayan tsunami” and said it had caused major damage to lives, property, trade routes, bridges and Himalayan settlements.
The disaster underscored the need for effective early-warning systems, water-data sharing, predictable grant-based climate finance and practical cooperation with neighbouring countries and international partners, he said.
Beyond its immediate neighbourhood, Nepal plans to expand partnerships with the United States, Europe, Japan, ASEAN and Gulf countries, Khanal said, describing Nepal’s roughly five million-strong diaspora as a strategic asset. "Its capital and expertise should be channelled into entrepreneurship, technology and national infrastructure rather than being viewed primarily as a source of remittances."
“We want to directly mobilise their capital and expertise in entrepreneurship, technology and national infrastructure,” he said.
Khanal said small and medium-sized countries also have a role in protecting international law, sovereign equality and a rules-based international order. “Nepal was a bridge between civilisations in the past, is an economic bridge in the present, and will become a strategic bridge in the future."
While Nepal’s future must ultimately be shaped by its own people, international partnerships would be essential to achieving its development goals, Khanal said, inviting investment and cooperation from the United States, Europe, ASEAN, Latin America and other partners.

Himalaya Airlines to start direct flight on Kathmandu-Hangzhou-Kathmandu route

Himalaya Airlines (IATA: H9), Nepal's international private airline, is expanding its commercial flight operations in China with the launch of direct scheduled flight service between Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) in Hangzhou China. The inaugural flight is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, marking a defining milestone in Nepal's civil aviation history and international connectivity, according to a press note issued by the Himalaya Airlines.
With this launch, Himalaya Airlines will become the first and only commercial carrier in the history of civil aviation to operate a direct scheduled flight on the Kathmandu-Hangzhou-Kathmandu sector, establishing a new and strategically significant air corridor between Nepal and one of China's major cultural hubs, it claims.
Hangzhou is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang province in eastern China. It is one of China's Eight Ancient Capitals and is best known internationally for its cultural legacy and the scenic West Lake. The city is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The West Lake Cultural Landscape, the Grand Canal, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.
The Kathmandu-Hangzhou route is strategically aligned with Himalaya Airlines' broader mission to develop direct air connectivity to ten key tourism and economic centres across China, with the long-term objective of promoting Nepal-China tourism and trade, the airliners says, adding that the service is expected to serve a wide range of travellers, including leisure tourists, business travellers, trade delegations, students, and cultural exchange participants from both nations. "Commencing at the onset of Nepal's peak autumn tourism season, the route is expected to provide a meaningful boost to inbound tourism and the broader hospitality sector, supporting the country's economic recovery and growth objectives."
Himalaya Airlines will initially operate two weekly frequencies on the route. Outbound flights from Kathmandu will depart every Wednesday and Sunday, with return flights from Hangzhou operating every Monday and Thursday. The airline will review and consider increasing frequency in response to passenger demand and load factors, it adds.
The Kathmandu-Hangzhou flight (H9 225) will depart Tribhuvan International Airport at 17:15 (Nepal local time) on September 30, 2026, arriving at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 01:05 (China local time) the following day. The return flight, Hangzhou-Kathmandu (H9 226), will depart Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 02:05 (China local time) on October 1, 2026, and land at TIA at 06:20 (Nepal local time) the same day.
"Himalaya Airlines aims to operate flights to ten different tourism and economic centres across China to welcome one million Chinese tourists to Nepal," vice-president of Himalaya Airlines Vijay Shrestha said ahead of the launch of the new route.
"We have pioneered trailblasing new routes to China, leading the way ahead of conventional market trends," he said, adding that the introduction of the Kathmandu-Hangzhou service is a testament to that commitment. "With this route, Himalaya Airlines aims to connect two historical and cultural hubs of Nepal and China."
The aoirlines will create memorable travel experiences while upholding the highest standards of safety and service quality, he said, "We look forward to welcoming passengers on board and facilitating the discovery of the extraordinary beauty and opportunities that both Nepal and China have to offer."
Himalaya Airlines (H9) is a Nepal-China joint venture International Airlines, established in 2014 with two complimenting objectives: to promote people-to-people contact between Nepal and other countries, as well as to boost Nepal’s trade and tourism industries. The joint venture alliance is between Tibetan Civil Aviation Development and Investment Company Ltd (TCADIC) and Yeti World Investment Pvt Ltd.
H9 young fleet consists of total 4 aircraft: three Airbus 320-214 (180 all-economy seats) and one Airbus 319-115 (144 all economy seats). H9 is currently operating passenger flights to prominent countries of Middle East & South Asia, the airliner further claims.

Call for institutional arrangements for integrated development of textile and clothing sector

Despite the importance of Nepal’s textile and clothing sector to exports and employment, longstanding institutional gaps and fragmented support have prompted calls for a dedicated body to consolidate the sector’s collective voice and strengthen coordination and support, according to entrepreneurs.
Speaking at a policy dialogue ‘Institutional arrangements for integrated development of textile and clothing sector’ organised by South Asia Watch on Trade Economic and Environment (SAWTEE), with support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), they called an urgent need for such an institutional arrangement to build shared understanding among stakeholders.
In her trigger presentation, Programme Coordinator at SAWTEE Dikshya Singh, highlighted that Nepal's textile and clothing sub-sectors; ranging from yarn and fibre to garments, carpets, pashmina, silk, hemp, and allo; are represented by a patchwork of scattered, sub-sector-specific associations, with none speaking for the value chain as a whole. "Hence, there is a need for an institution that can unite this fragmented advocacy into a single institutional voice," she said, adding "Such an entity would coordinate backward linkages (sourcing inputs domestically) with forward linkages in manufacturing, branding, and market access, treating the sector as a unified value chain rather than disconnected sub-sectors."
Calls to establish such a body have grown louder in recent months since the plan received a positive response from the Prime Minister, as reported in the media following his meeting with the textile and clothing sector entrepreneurs.
President of Nepal Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association Balaram Gurung, on the occasion, highlighted the important role previously played by the Nepal Carpet and Wool Development Board in providing focused institutional support to the carpet sector. He also noted that the Board’s functions were later merged with the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), leaving the sector without a dedicated institution. Drawing on this experience, he stressed that the proposed body should provide similar sector-specific support, or the former Board should be reinstated.
Likewise president of the Nepal Pashmina Industries Association Dhan Prasad Lamichhane stressed the need to develop an integrated pashmina ecosystem spanning the entire value chain, from farm to fibre to fashion, with stronger linkages across sheep rearing, fibre production, dyeing, knitting and garment manufacturing. He emphasised the need for legislative changes required to facilitate commercial farming of sheep in mountainous regions of Nepal, which could help domestic sourcing of wool.
Immediate Past President of the Nepal Wool Felt Producers and Exporters Association Amrit Khadka emphasised the need to establish such institutional body through a parliamentary Act. He also identified policy and regulatory gaps as a major concern, noting that the sector has been requesting amendments to existing policies and regulations for a long time, but that the process has yet to move forward. He further stressed the need for greater representation of both the public and private sectors in efforts to develop the felt industry.
First Vice President of the Garment Association of Nepal Basanta Raj Adhikari pointed out that compared to the competitors, Nepali product is expensive, lower in quality, and slower on delivery; hence, Nepal lacks the capacity to fulfil bulk orders from large buyers. He said unless skill shortages and testing infrastructure gaps are addressed, Nepal's garment sector will remain confined to small, niche orders.
Similarly, Textile Expert Prakash Jha called for the establishment of a council to consolidate and represent the voices of stakeholders across the textile and clothing sectors. He suggested that the proposed council could be placed under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, with participation from the Ministries of Agriculture, Forests and Environment; Finance; and Labour, as well as representatives of industry associations, businesses and technical experts.
He further suggested that the council should develop mechanisms to achieve financial sustainability, including through fees related to rules of origin, certificates of origin and membership. He proposed that the council’s mandate should also cover research and regulation of imported clothing, monitoring of free trade agreements and other trade agreements, and recommending measures for export market diversification.
Chief Executive Officer of Alternative Technology Shreeniwas Sharma highlighted, "how Galaicha software has improved Nepal’s carpet industry by facilitating digital design, cost calculation and production tracking. He noted that similar technological solutions could be adopted across other subsectors, including handicrafts and garments, while emphasising the need to combine technology adoption with laobur upskilling. He suggested that the proposed institution could help connect industries with appropriate technology providers and facilitate wider adoption of such solutions. He stressed that Nepal has the technological capacity to do more, but stronger industry–technology linkages are needed to translate these capabilities into practical outcomes.
Participants, on the occasion, pointed out that the proposed institution's mandate and governance structure required careful design. Several stressed the need for clarity on whether the body's primary role should be coordination or promotion, and called for trade union representation, noting unions could contribute to improving worker productivity rather than being seen as adversarial to business. Others stressed that the council needed meaningful private-sector representation and real decision-making authority, cautioning against it becoming 'another bureaucratic institution' burdened by administrative hurdles. It was also suggested that leadership rotate across sub-sectors like garments, carpets, and felt to ensure balanced representation, alongside inclusion of researchers, experts, and government representatives.
One participant called for an apex body under the Government of Nepal, citing India's model, with sub-committees for each sub-sector to prevent domination by any single industry.
Chair of the session Dr Posh Raj Pandey summarised the key points of the discussion, highlighting the need to address supply-side constraints and strengthen institutional coordination in the textile and clothing sector. He stressed the importance of a stronger governance mechanism to consolidate fragmented institutions, support export promotion and regulatory compliance, and prepare the sector for challenges arising from preference erosion after LDC graduation.

Nepal could become BRICS-South Asia connectivity bridge

Today, Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in New Delhi for the two-day BRICS summit, the acronym was coined from the initials of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). South Africa joined as a full member in 2011, turning BRIC into BRICS.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are meeting together on the same platform for the first time in 10 years for the 18th summit of the BRICS, and at a time, when the world is witnessing a war in Ukraine and Iran.
Currently, BRICS has 11 full members: Russia, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE became full members in 2024, while Indonesia became a full member in 2025.
Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the 10 Partner Countries in the group. With the expansion of BRICS, around 30 other countries have also expressed interest in joining the group.
For the two-day summit in New Delhi, influential world leaders from 21 countries and few outreach invitees and other participating representative are in New Delhi, where they will discuss on key global issues including global governance, multilateralism, trade and investment, technology, food and energy security, healthcare, disaster resilience and critical supply chains.
Held under India’s BRICS chairmanship this year, the summit’s main theme is ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.
On the first day of the summit, a closed-door session among BRICS member states will be held on ‘Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism.’ The leaders will then visit the ‘Bharat Innovates’ exhibition at the Bharat Mandapam. The first day’s program will conclude with a joint tree-planting ceremony and a dinner hosted by the host Indian Prime Minister Modi.
On the second day, tomorrow, Prime Minister Modi will welcome representatives of 10 Partner Countries, along with leaders of the BRICS member states, to an open session. The session, titled ‘Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth,’ will be attended by representatives from Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

What is BRICS for Nepal?
As the global geopolitical architecture fractures, giving way to a multipolar order, Nepal finds itself standing at a delicate yet defining juncture. For decades, the nation’s foreign policy mantra has been one of ‘amity with all,’ often translated into a cautious balancing act between its two massive neighbors. However, the expansion of BRICS, first agreed at Johannesburg in 2023 and subsequently bringing Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Indonesia into the group signals a tectonic shift in the Global South's economic consolidation. For Nepal, this is not merely a spectator sport. It is an invitation to re-evaluate its strategic leverage. The question is no longer ‘if’ Nepal should engage, but ‘how’.
The answer lies not in traditional diplomacy alone, but in the aggressive commercialization of our geography. Hydropower must cease to be viewed merely as an export commodity – megawatts (MW) sold to India – and must instead be rebranded as the bedrock of a regional clean-energy architecture. This is the economic bridge Nepal must build to float its candidacy for a ‘BRICS Partner Country’ status.
The logic is geopolitical as much as it is economic. BRICS is increasingly focused on energy security, financial cooperation, local-currency settlement and diversification of cross-border payment mechanisms. By pitching a ‘Regional Clean-Energy Platform,’ Nepal positions itself as the green battery for a bloc that includes the world's largest energy consumers (China and India) and ambitious new players looking for sustainable investment avenues.
Nepal’s proposition to BRICS should be audacious yet pragmatic: a trilateral clean-energy corridor linking Nepal's generation capacity with Indian and Bangladeshi markets that utilizes Nepal’s hydropower to stabilize the region's renewable transition. Nepal possesses the technical potential to generate over 40,000 MW. By framing this potential as a solution to the region's carbon deficits and energy intermittency, Nepal moves from being a landlocked nation to a ‘land-linked’ energy hub.
This platform could serve as the prerequisite for BRICS engagement. It signals to major powers like Moscow and Beijing, and even New Delhi, that Kathmandu is bringing tangible assets to the table, not just a strategic location. It transforms hydropower into a diplomatic instrument, a currency that can help Nepal receive a seat at the high table of the Global South.
Formal membership in BRICS brings with it the weight of geopolitical signaling that might currently be too heavy for Kathmandu's delicate balancing act. However, the newly created ‘Partner Country’ category – created in October 2024 Kazan summit – offers the perfect stratagem. Partner country status would give Nepal a formal platform for participation in BRICS consultations, while creating a diplomatic pathway to seek closer engagement with the New Development Bank (NDB) and other BRICS institutions. NDB financing, however, would require separate eligibility and institutional approval.
For Nepal, the pathway to this status must be paved with the hydro-power diplomacy mentioned above. Nepal must argue that the Himalayas are not just a border, but a shared ecological and economic resource that requires a transnational management framework. A BRICS Partner Country status provides the institutional backing to manage this resource without the conditionalities often imposed by Western financial institutions.
Thus, Nepal should not approach BRICS merely as a country seeking a membership but as a Partner Country offering a regional solution like ‘Himalayan Resilience Corridor Initiative (HRCI)’ and ‘Himalayan Climate, Glacier and Disaster Resilience Centre (HCGDRC)’. The first one could be a physical infrastructure and economic corridor, whereas HCGDRC could act as knowledge, monitoring and early-warning institution.
When Nepal becomes a Partner Country, it could formally propose the ‘Himalayan Resilience Corridor Initiative (HRCI)’ and ‘Himalayan Climate, Glacier and Disaster Resilience Centre (HCGDRC)’, which would be the crown jewel of the Nepal-BRICS framework, moving beyond simple energy trade to a comprehensive climate-security paradigm.
Though, BRICS already has energy, climate, infrastructure and disaster-risk agendas, Nepal could connect these existing BRICS priorities through HRCI, which could be envisioned as a multi-modal corridor integrating three critical pillars; Energy Grid Interconnectivity, Climate Adaptation Infrastructure and Green Hydrogen and Ecological Logistics.
Energy Grid Interconnectivity could be a high-voltage transmission backbone linking Nepal’s generation hubs with the load centers in India and Bangladesh – though Bangladesh is not yet the member of BRICS but aspires to become one and a member of BRICS-backed NDB – potentially extending northwards, financed by BRICS capital. Similarly, Climate Adaptation Infrastructure could utilize BRICS technology and funding to combat glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and basin management. It will frame the Himalayas as a ‘Resilience’ asset, appealing to the climate-vulnerable nations within the BRICS sphere.
Likewise, Green Hydrogen and Ecological Logistics could help develop green hydrogen industries powered by seasonal hydro-surplus and establishing eco-friendly logistics routes that complement the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and India’s Act East policy, effectively turning Nepal into a transit lubricant for the region.
To make this a reality, the policymakers in Singha Durbar must pivot from reactive aid-rationing to proactive economic statecraft. The HRCI should be pitched not as a Nepali project, but as a BRICS project ‘hosted’ in Nepal. It serves the interests of China by securing its southern ecological flank and benefits India by providing renewable energy and disaster mitigation.
Furthermore, the HRCI offers an alternative narrative to the ‘debt trap,’ discourse. By structuring this under the BRICS framework – specifically aiming for NDB financing – Nepal can diversify its portfolio, ensuring that its infrastructure development is backed by a coalition of emerging economies rather than a single bilateral lender.
The waters of the Himalayas have flowed for millennia, sustaining civilizations below. It is time Nepal stopped viewing these rivers solely as resources to be tapped, but as currency to be traded on the geopolitical market. By floating the idea of a ‘Clean-Energy Platform’ and subsequently formalizing the ‘Himalayan Resilience Corridor Initiative’, Nepal can do more than just join BRICS; it can define its own relevance in a new world order.
Likewise, a BRICS-supported ‘Himalayan Climate, Glacier and Disaster Resilience Centre (HCGDRC)’ bringing the institutions together from Nepal, India, China, Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa, and other BRICS partners could work in various areas including glacier monitoring, glacial lake monitoring, landslide monitoring, flood forecasting, seismic monitoring, satellite observation, AI-based disaster prediction, early warning systems, hydrological modelling and emergency communication. The objective of the Centre would be to move from post-disaster response to predictive resilience, which is also one of the key lessons from August 26 Bhotekoshi-Trishuli flash flood. Such a proposal would build on BRICS's existing work on climate change, disaster-risk reduction, energy cooperation and early-warning systems.
The bridge is ready to be built. The materials are our geography and our ambition. All that remains is the political will to lay the foundation.

(First published in nepalkhabar.com -- https://en.nepalkhabar.com/news/detail/19786/)

Nepal must move from climate diplomacy to climate litigation, but with proof, not in haste

Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) is set to travel to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The visit comes amid intense pressure in the aftermath of the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli River basin flash floods, a disaster that has claimed thousands of lives and left thousands more missing.
Though the UNGA is scheduled to begin on September 8, the high-level general debate will begin on September 22. And the visit of PM Shah is not only going to the first out of country official visit as he has not made a foreign visit since taking charge on March 27, but also will mark the shift in diplomacy as he is going to voice the concern of Nepal’s story of climate disaster despite Nepal’s less or no contribution to global carbon emission.
For decades, Nepal has gone to the world’s climate conferences or UNGA with the same message: we are among the countries most exposed to climate change, yet we have contributed almost nothing to the problem.
The message is true. But it is also no longer enough.
Nepal’s latest Himalayan catastrophe – as named ‘Himalayan Tsunami’ by some of the global media – has made the limits of conventional climate diplomacy brutally clear. The August 26 glacier-related disaster along the Nepal-China border has killed hundreds, left more than 5,000 still missing and inflicted extraordinary damage on infrastructure and livelihoods. Rescue operations have continued amid destroyed roads, bridges and hydropower facilities. Government’s preliminary estimates put reconstruction and rehabilitation needs at roughly $4 billion to $5 billion – close to a tenth of the country’s economy – while the latest reported assessment puts direct losses at about $2.56 billion.
The figures itself explains that this is not simply another natural disaster.
Scientists increasingly understand that a warming climate is destabilizing glaciers, permafrost and mountain slopes, increasing the risks of avalanches, glacial lake outburst floods, landslides and cascading disasters across the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Recent research on Nepal also finds that some extreme rainfall and heat events have become substantially more likely because of anthropogenic climate change.
Nepal therefore faces a strategic choice.
It can continue asking the international community for greater climate finance, stronger adaptation support and solidarity. Or it can begin asking a more difficult question: Who should pay for the losses that climate change is imposing on countries that did little to cause it?
The answer requires Nepal to move from climate diplomacy to compensation diplomacy, and eventually, where the legal and scientific evidence permits, to climate litigation.
This is not a call for confrontation. It is a call for a different conception of climate justice.
For years, Nepal has presented itself primarily as a vulnerable country. That identity has helped bring international attention and some financial support. But vulnerability without enforceable claims can easily become a permanent political condition: the vulnerable ask, the powerful promise, and the money arrives slowly, conditionally or inadequately.
Nepal should now become more than a country seeking assistance.
It should become a country asserting a claim.
The distinction matters.
The international climate regime has already recognized the principle of loss and damage. The creation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage marked an important institutional development. Yet establishing a fund is not the same as ensuring that countries suffering irreversible climate-related losses receive adequate compensation.
Nepal should therefore stop treating loss and damage as another development-finance programme.
It is a question of justice.
Consider the arithmetic. Nepal builds a road, bridge or hydropower plant with scarce domestic resources or borrowed money. And one fine day, a climate-amplified disaster destroys it. The government then borrows again to rebuild. If another disaster follows, it borrows once more.
At what point does climate change become a debt crisis?
This is the hidden economic cost of climate change for vulnerable developing countries like Nepal. Climate disasters do not merely destroy assets. They destroy the fiscal space needed to build new ones.
Nepal cannot indefinitely finance climate losses through domestic taxation and sovereign borrowing.
Nor should it.
The first step toward changing this equation is deceptively simple: Nepal must start keeping the bill.
The country needs a national Loss and Damage Account that records, systematically and scientifically, the economic consequences of climate-related disasters.
That account should go far beyond destroyed roads and buildings. It should measure lost agricultural output, electricity generation, tourism revenues, employment, household assets, public revenue, migration, displacement, ecosystem services and the long-term effects on human capital.
It should also distinguish between the immediate physical damage and the wider economic losses that unfold over years.
Most importantly, Nepal needs to invest in attribution science.
International climate diplomacy increasingly depends on the ability to establish whether and to what extent a particular event has been influenced by anthropogenic climate change. A recent study on Nepal specifically argues that stronger attribution studies, better data systems and improved institutional coordination would strengthen the country's ability to access international loss-and-damage finance.
This is where Nepal's climate policy must become much more sophisticated.
Emotion can establish moral urgency.
But evidence establishes a claim.
Thus, Nepal should adopt the second step that is compensation diplomacy.
Nepal should build a coalition of countries facing comparable circumstances: least-developed countries, mountain states, small island states and other climate-vulnerable developing economies.
But the objective should change.
Instead of repeatedly asking wealthy countries to increase voluntary assistance, Nepal should push for predictable, accessible and adequate mechanisms for financing unavoidable climate losses.
That could include grants rather than loans, concessional reconstruction finance, debt suspension following major climate disasters, debt restructuring, disaster clauses in sovereign borrowing and automatic financing triggered by objectively measured climate events.
This would not be charity.
It would be an attempt to distribute an increasingly globalized risk more fairly.
Nepal's argument should also be grounded in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Every country shares responsibility for addressing climate change, but historical contributions to atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations and national capacities to respond are profoundly unequal.
The country that contributed least cannot reasonably be expected to bear the entire cost of consequences produced by a global system it did little to create.
But diplomacy has limits.
That is where litigation enters.
Climate litigation should not be understood as Nepal's first resort. Nor should it become a theatrical exercise in naming and shaming major emitters.
It should be treated as a strategic instrument.
Nepal should establish a high-level Climate Litigation Task Force comprising international lawyers, climate scientists, economists, diplomats and constitutional and environmental law experts. Its first mandate should not be to file a lawsuit. It should be to determine whether a legally credible case exists.
What duties do states owe to countries exposed to climate-related harm?
What does international environmental law require regarding transboundary harm?
Can historical emissions be legally connected to specific categories of loss?
How should causation be established?
Can states claim remedies for climate-related harm through existing international judicial or quasi-judicial mechanisms?
These are difficult questions. The fact that they are difficult is precisely why Nepal should begin studying them now.
The objective is not necessarily to win a courtroom battle tomorrow.
The objective is to change the negotiating position today.
A country that possesses a credible legal strategy negotiates differently from a country that possesses only a moral appeal.
Nepal should understand this as leverage.
If a legal route is eventually found, it could be pursued. If it is not, the legal research would still strengthen Nepal's position in international negotiations by clarifying rights, obligations and evidentiary standards.
There is another dimension to this strategy.
Nepal should stop presenting the Himalayas merely as a fragile ecosystem in need of protection. The Himalayas should be understood as a global climate asset.
The region's glaciers and snowfields underpin water systems serving enormous populations across Asia. The stability of the Himalayan cryosphere matters not only to Nepal but to agriculture, energy, water security and human settlements far beyond its borders.
If the world considers Himalayan stability a global public good, the costs of protecting it cannot reasonably be assigned entirely to Himalayan countries.
Nepal should therefore propose an international Himalayan Climate Resilience and Loss and Damage Facility, financed through multilateral climate institutions and designed specifically for mountain risks.
“Such an initiative would finance glacier monitoring, early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure, scientific research and, crucially, unavoidable losses,” geologist Shree Kamal Dwevedi argues, adding that it would turn Nepal's vulnerability into diplomatic leverage.
But there is an important caveat. “Nepal must not turn climate litigation into a geopolitical weapon against either of its neighbors.”
The recent disaster occurred in a sensitive transboundary Himalayan environment. Questions about glacier instability, early-warning data, infrastructure and disaster information sharing deserve serious investigation. But attribution must not be confused with political accusation.
A serious climate claim requires evidence.
Nepal must therefore invest in precisely that evidence: satellite monitoring, glacier and permafrost research, hydrological data, hazard mapping, event attribution and transparent disaster accounting, he adds.
In future climate diplomacy, data will be power.
Nepal's diplomats should be able to arrive at international negotiations not merely with photographs of destroyed villages, but with a quantified claim, a scientific attribution assessment, an economic model and a legal memorandum.
That would change the conversation.
The country's message would no longer be: We are poor and vulnerable. Please help us.
It would become: We have suffered measurable losses from a global climate crisis. Here is the evidence. Here is the economic cost. Here is the legal basis for responsibility. Here is what a fair international response should look like.
That is the difference between aid-seeking diplomacy and rights-based diplomacy.
Nepal should also recognize that climate litigation is not necessarily about suing fossil-fuel companies or industrialized states for every disaster. The legal landscape is too complex for such simplistic claims. The more credible path may involve strategic litigation, advisory opinions, international legal interpretation and domestic legal action that establishes duties of prevention, disclosure, adaptation and protection.
The point is to create accountability where conventional diplomacy has failed to do so.
Nepal has been patient.
It has participated in climate negotiations. It has adopted national plans. It has pledged ambitious environmental goals. It has repeatedly highlighted the vulnerability of the Himalayas. Yet the gap between climate promises and climate finance remains enormous. Nepal estimates that implementing its adaptation priorities and climate commitments will require tens of billions of dollars.
The country cannot continue financing an international climate crisis from its own limited fiscal resources.
The August 26 disaster should therefore become a turning point.
Nepal needs a national Climate Justice and Compensation Strategy with five pillars: systematic loss-and-damage accounting, scientific attribution, compensation diplomacy, legal preparedness and strategic litigation.
The shift is conceptual as much as institutional.
Climate diplomacy asks the world to listen.
Compensation diplomacy asks the world to contribute.
Climate litigation asks the world to answer.
Nepal should be prepared for all three.
The Himalayas are warning us that the climate crisis is no longer a distant environmental problem. It is a question of national solvency, human security and international justice.
Nepal did not create this crisis.
But Nepal is paying for it.
The time has come to send the bill back to the world.
And PM Balendra Shah is expected to do the same in the 81st UNGA !!!
(Frist published in nepalkhabar.com -- https://en.nepalkhabar.com/news/detail/19696/)

More than one week on from Bhotekoshi floods, thousands of children remain without safe water and face rising risk of disease

More than one week after flash floods swept down the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river basin in Nepal, at least 22,000 children urgently need safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene support, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today.
Water supply systems have been damaged across the affected districts, from community schemes to larger networks, while sanitation facilities have been damaged and destroyed, a press note from the UNICEF reads, "At the same time, families are crowded into host households and holding centres, creating conditions that raise the risk of waterborne and infectious disease outbreaks."
“Every parent in these districts is now making the same calculation several times a day,” said UNICEF Representative in Nepal Alice Akunga in the press note. "Where can I get water, and is it safe to give to my child? When water systems and toilets have been damaged or destroyed, and dozens of people are sharing the same space, families face enormous challenges in maintaining safe hygiene. The risk of waterborne disease increases rapidly in these conditions, but it is preventable. That is why ensuring access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is among our top priorities right now."
UNICEF has dispatched critical water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies for around 19,000 people in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, it claims. "These include more than 3,800 hygiene kits, 3,300 collapsible 10-litre jerrycans, 3,500 buckets, 3,500 one-litre mugs, 4,000 bottles of water treatment solution, and more than 1,000 tarpaulin sheets.
UNICEF is working with government counterparts and partners on disease surveillance, hygiene promotion, and outbreak prevention, with messages on safe hygiene, water handling, and household water treatment being carried through mobile messaging, radio, social media, and community networks. Mobile subscribers can reach validated advisories without data charges, and a network of more than 600 practitioners is extending outreach into affected communities.
As access improves, UNICEF will scale up emergency water supply, household water treatment and water-quality monitoring, temporary sanitation and handwashing facilities, and essential hygiene and menstrual hygiene supplies in communities and holding centres, it adds.
“Restoring communities’ access to safe water and sanitation is not a one-week job,” Akunga said. “We can provide water treatment products and emergency supplies today, and we are," she said, adding," But damaged water systems, pipelines, pumps, toilets and other sanitation infrastructure also need to be repaired and rebuilt. And they need to be rebuilt to withstand future floods, not simply restored to the way they were before. We need to make communities safer and more resilient. Otherwise, we will be having the same conversation again after the next disaster, and it will be children paying the price yet again."

भोटेकोसी विपद्ले बदल्यो कूटनीति– जलवायु ऋण होइन, अब क्षतिपूर्ति

बुधबार प्रतिनिधि सभाले जलवायु परिवर्तनबाट नेपालमा सिर्जित हानिनोक्सानी र राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा चुनौतीलाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय स्तरमा अझ बलियो रूपमा उठाउन सरकारको ध्यानाकर्षण गराएको छ। भदौ १० गते भोटेकोसी र त्रिशूली नदी बेसिनमा गएको विनाशकारी बाढीले रसुवा, नुवाकोट र धादिङलगायत क्षेत्रमा भएको विनाशको सन्दर्भमा प्रतिनिधि सभाले विशेष प्रस्ताव पारित गरेको हो।
उक्त अवसरमा सभामुख डोलप्रसाद अर्यालले नेपालले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समुदायसमक्ष जलवायु न्यायको मुद्दा प्रभावकारी रूपमा उठाउनुपर्ने पनि बताए।
यससँगै जलवायु परिवर्तनबाट भएको हानिनोक्सानीबारे नेपालले आफ्नो आवाज स्पष्ट र बलियो बनाउने बाटो खुलेको छ। यसका साथै जलवायु परिवर्तनबाट उत्पन्न जोखिम अब वातावरणीय समस्या मात्र नभई राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा चुनौतीको रूपमा नेपालले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय स्तरमा स्थापित गर्न सहज पनि भएको छ। किनकि मानवसिर्जित तापक्रम वृद्धिका कारण हिमनदी र हिमतालमा परिवर्तन, हिमपहिरोको जोखिम वृद्धि तथा असामान्य वर्षाका घटना बढिरहेको सन्दर्भमा विपद् आइसकेपछि राहत तथा पुनर्निर्माणमा केन्द्रित हुने भन्दा हिमताल र हिमनदीको नियमित अध्ययन, अनुगमन तथा पूर्वतयारीलाई प्राथमिकता दिने कार्यमा नेपाल गम्भीर हुनुपर्ने अवस्था छ।
प्रतिनिधि सभाले बुधबार पारित गरेको प्रस्तावले नेपालको जलवायु कूटनीतिका अब कतातिर जान्छ भन्ने पनि संकेत गरेको छ। यसअघि भदौ १५ गते पनि नेपालका जनताको नामबाट विश्व बैंकलाई एउटा पत्र लेखिएको छ।
पत्रमा लेखिएको छः हामीलाई थप जलवायु ऋण होइन, ऐक्यबद्धता चाहिएको छ। हामीलाई जलवायु ऋण होइन, अनुदान चाहिएको छ।
पत्रमा भदौ १० गते भोटेकोसी र त्रिशूली नदी बेसिनमा गएको विनाशकारी बाढी तथा पहिरोको राहत र पुनरुत्थानका लागि विश्व बैंकले नेपाललाई प्रस्ताव गरेको सहुलियतपूर्ण वित्तपोषणप्रति गहिरो चासो र साथै आपत्ति पनि प्रकट गरिएको छ।
‘यो कुनै सामान्य प्राकृतिक प्रकोप होइन, यो स्पष्ट रूपमा जलवायु संकटको बोझ हो। जसलाई नेपालले हरेक वर्ष सामना गर्दै आएको छ। जसले हाम्रा समुदाय, जीवन र जीविकोपार्जनलाई तहसनहस पारेको छ। हामीले हरेक वर्ष अर्बौं अमेरिकी डलर बराबरको आर्थिक र सहन नसकिने गैर–आर्थिक क्षति बेहोर्नुपरेको छ र यस्तो अवस्थामा पनि विश्व बैंक जस्ता अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय वित्तीय संस्थाहरूले नेपालको ऋणको बोझ थपेर जवाफ दिइरहेका छन्। यो स्पष्ट रूपमा मानवताविरुद्धको अपराध हो,’ पत्रमा भनिएको छ।
नेपालले आफूले नगरेको गल्तीको कारण निम्तिएको विनाशमा विश्व बैंकले ऋणको बोझ बोकाउन खोज्नु मानवता विरुद्धको अपराध हो भनेर विश्व बैंक समूहका अध्यक्ष तथा कार्यकारी निर्देशकहरूलाई सम्बोधन गरेर लेखिएको पत्रको बोधार्थ नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्री, अर्थ मन्त्रालय, नेपाल सरकार तथा विश्व बैंक नेपाल देशीय कार्यालयका नाममा पनि दिइएको छ।
पत्रमा अगाडि लखिएको छ, ‘बाढी गएलगत्तै विश्व बैंकले आफ्नो विपद्–वित्तपोषण संयन्त्रमार्फत नेपालको आपतकालीन प्रतिक्रियाको लागि करिब २५ अर्ब नेपाली रुपैयाँ परिचालन गर्न सकिने जनाएको छ। तर, विश्व बैंकको यो सहुलियतपूर्ण वित्तपोषण हो, अनुदान होइन। हामीले नगरेको गल्तीको लागि हामीलाई नै ऋण दिने अनि हामीसँग ब्याज लिने यस्तो व्यवस्था अर्थात् सहुलियतपूर्ण ऋण पनि ऋण नै हो र ऋण भनेको जलवायु न्याय होइन।’
जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण हुने ठूला प्राकृतिक प्रकोपहरूसँग लड्न र त्यसबाट भएको क्षतिपूर्ति वा पुनःनिर्माणका लागि विकासोन्मुख राष्ट्रहरूलाई आर्थिक सहयोग गर्न स्थापित हानिनोक्सानी कोषको संक्रमणकालीन समितिका अनुसार नयाँ कोष र वित्तपोषण व्यवस्था अन्तर्गत हानि र नोक्सानीलाई सम्बोधन गर्ने सहयोगले विकासशील देशहरूको विकासका प्रयासलाई थप कुण्ठित गर्ने गरी उनीहरूको ऋणको बोझ बढाउने काम गर्नु हुँदैन।
किनकि नेपाल हरितगृह ग्यास उत्सर्जनमा सबैभन्दा कम योगदान गर्ने मुलुकमध्ये भएपनि विश्वका सबैभन्दा बढी जोखिममा पर्ने देशहरूमा पर्छ। तसर्थ, पत्रमा उल्लेख छ, ‘जलवायु संकटबाट उम्कन नेपाललाई ऋण तिर्न बाध्य पार्नु अत्यन्तै अन्यायपूर्ण छ र हामी विश्व बैंकलाई बाढी प्रतिक्रिया र पुनरुत्थानका लागि प्रस्ताव गरिएको ऋणलाई अनुदानमा परिणत गर्न माग गर्दछौं।’
नेपालमा बाढी आउँछ, पहिरो जान्छ, हिमताल फुट्छ, हिमपहिरो खस्छ। मानिस मर्छन्, बस्ती बग्छन्, सडक र पुल भत्किन्छन्, जलविद्युत् आयोजना क्षतिग्रस्त हुन्छन्। केही दिन राज्य संयन्त्र सक्रिय हुन्छ। राहत घोषणा हुन्छ। अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समुदायले पनि समवेदना व्यक्त गर्छ। तर, नेपाल सरकार विश्व बैंकसँग ऋण लिएर पुनर्निर्माण तथा पुनस्र्थापनाको काम गर्छ। यो क्रम अब रोकिनु पर्छ। किनकि हिमालमा भइरहेको परिवर्तनलाई अब नयाँ ऋण दिने बहानाको रुपमा हेर्न मिल्दैन।
पत्रमा अगाडि लेखिएको छ, ‘तसर्थ, हामी विश्व बैंकलाई नेपालको बाढी प्रतिक्रिया र पुनरुत्थानका लागि प्रस्तावित वित्तपोषणलाई ऋणबाट अनुदानमा तुरुन्तै परिणत गर्न, तात्कालिक प्रतिक्रिया र पुनरुत्थानका लागि दिइने सबै सहयोगले सार्वभौम ऋणको बोझ नबढाउने कुरा सुनिश्चित गर्न, हानि र नोक्सानी कोषमा पहुँच पाउन नेपाललाई सहयोग गर्न र प्रस्तावित वित्तपोषणमा पूर्ण पारदर्शिता प्रदान गर्न आह्वान गर्दछौं।’
‘हामी (नेपालका जनता) नेपाल सरकारलाई हामीसँग दृढतापूर्वक उभिन र विश्व बैंकको नयाँ ऋण प्रस्तावलाई स्पष्ट रूपमा अस्वीकार गर्न तथा समुदायको चिहानमाथि, मानवता विरुद्धको अपराध नगर्न आह्वान गर्दछौं। नेपालले विश्व बैंक र अन्य अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय वित्तीय संस्थाहरूलाई विपद् प्रतिक्रिया, पुनरुत्थान र पुनर्निर्माणका लागि ऋण होइन, अनुदान उपलब्ध गराउन माग गर्नुपर्छ,’ पत्रमा लेखिएको छ।
भदौ १० गते बिहान लाङटाङ–लिरुङ क्षेत्रको करिब ५ हजार २०० मिटर उचाइबाट खसेको हिम, बरफ, चट्टान र गेग्रानको विशाल पिण्डले तलको ल्हेन्दे खोलामा पुगेपछि भयावह बाढीको रूप लियो। हालसम्म उपलब्ध प्रारम्भिक आकलनअनुसार ठूलो मात्रामा गेग्रानसहितको लेदो नदी एकैपटक गडगडाएर भोटेकोसी–त्रिशूली करिडोरतर्फ फैलियो। अनि यो प्रकोपको विनाशले केही घण्टामै बस्ती, सडक, पुल, ऊर्जा संरचना र व्यापारिक सम्पर्कलाई तहसनहस पार्‍यो।
यस्तो अनपेक्षित र प्रलयकारी विपत्तिका कारण सयौं स्वदेशी तथा विदेशी नागरिकहरूले मृत्युवरण गर्न पुगेका छन् भने हजारौं मानिसहरू अझैसम्म हराईरहेका छन्। बाढीका कारण खर्बौँ रुपैयाँ बराबरको भौतिक सम्पत्ति क्षति भएको छ। दर्जनौं पक्की पुल बगेका छन्। करिब ९०० मेगावाटका एक दर्जनभन्दा बढी जलविद्युत आयोजनाहरू प्रभावित भएका छन्। पचासौं किलोमिटर सडकहरू, हजारौं घर तथा व्यापारिक भवनहरूका साथै हजारौं हेक्टर खेतीयोग्य जमिनमा पूर्ण तथा आंशिक क्षति भएको छ।
साथै, शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, सार्वजनिक सेवा लगायतका सरकारी संरचनाहरू ध्वस्त भएका छन्। बाढीले भौतिक तथा मानविय क्षति पुर्‍याउनुका साथै हजारौं वर्षदेखिको नदी किनाराको मानव सभ्यता समेत तहसनहस पारेको छ।
परम्परागत मनसुनी बाढीमा वर्षा, नदीको सतह र पानीको बहावका आधारमा केही समय पूर्वसूचना दिन सकिन्छ। तर हिमाली ढलानबाट अचानक ठूलो परिमाणमा बरफ, चट्टान र गेग्रान तल खस्दा त्यसले सिर्जना गर्ने बाढीको प्रकृति तथा गति फरक हुन्छ। यस्तो घटनामा पूर्वसूचनाका लागि उपलब्ध समय अत्यन्त छोटो हुन सक्छ।
यसले नेपाललाई एउटा कठोर पाठ दिएको छः हामीसँग बाढीको पूर्वसूचना प्रणाली भए पनि त्यो हिमालबाट अचानक उत्पन्न हुने उच्च गतिको बाढीका लागि अझै अपर्याप्त छ। त्यसैले अब प्रश्न उद्धार र राहतको मात्र होइन। प्रश्न जोखिमको पुनर्मूल्यांकनको हो।
विपद्पछि हाम्रो पहिलो प्रतिक्रिया भत्किएको सडक र पुल बनाउनु हो। तर जुन ठाउँमा जोखिमको स्वरूप नै बदलिइसकेको छ, त्यही ठाउँमा पुरानै संरचना फेरि बनाउनु पुनर्निर्माण होइन, अर्को विपदलाई निम्तो हुन्छ।
अब पुनर्निर्माणको प्रश्न ‘कति खर्च लाग्छ?’ मात्र होइन, ‘कहाँ र कस्तो पूर्वाधार बनाउने?’ भन्ने हो। किनकि जलवायु परिवर्तनले जोखिम बढाइरहेको अवस्थामा विगतका बाढीको तथ्यांक मात्र हेरेर भविष्यको पूर्वाधार डिजाइन गर्न सकिँदैन।
अझ यो भन्दा ठूलो प्रश्न नेपालको अर्थतन्त्रसँग जोडिएको छ।
विश्वलाई नै थाहा छ, नेपालको विश्वव्यापी हरितगृह ग्यास उत्सर्जनमा योगदान ०.१ प्रतिशत मात्र अर्थात् नगण्य छ। तर जलवायुजन्य जोखिमको सबैभन्दा अग्रपंक्तिमा नेपाल नै छ। हिमनदीको तीव्र परिवर्तन, हिमतालको जोखिम, पहिरो, बाढी र मौसमको चरम परिवर्तनीय घटनाले नेपालको पूर्वाधार, कृषि, ऊर्जा, पर्यटन र जीविकोपार्जनमा प्रत्यक्ष असर पारिरहेको छ।
यहीँनेर प्रतिनिधि सभाले बुधबार पारित गरेको तथा नेपालका जनताको नामबाट विश्व बैंकलाई लेखिएको पत्रमा उठाइएको मुलप्रश्न, ‘अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय जलवायु न्याय’को सन्दर्भ आउँछ। विश्वका सबै देशले समान मात्रामा कार्बन उत्सर्जन गर्दैनन्। सबैको ऐतिहासिक जिम्मेवारी पनि समान छैन। र जलवायुजन्य क्षति सामना गर्ने आर्थिक क्षमता पनि सबैको समान छैन।
‘साझा तर विभेदित उत्तरदायित्व’को सिद्धान्त यही असमानतालाई स्वीकार गर्ने अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय जलवायु व्यवस्थाको महत्वपूर्ण आधार हो। समस्या के हो भने यो सिद्धान्त त स्वीकार गरिएको छ, तर त्यसअनुसारको आर्थिक उत्तरदायित्व अझै पर्याप्त रूपमा कार्यान्वयन गरिएको छैन। त्यसैले, नेपालले यही अन्तरलाई अब आफ्नो कूटनीतिक एजेन्डा बनाउनुपर्छ।
वर्षौंदेखि नेपालले विश्वलाई भनिरहेको छ, ‘हामी जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण जोखिममा छौं, हामीलाई जलवायु वित्त चाहिन्छ, हिमालय बचाउनुपर्छ।’ विश्वले सुन्दै पनि आएको छ तर यसपटक नराम्रोसँग देखियो पनि। त्यसैले अब भाष्य बदल्ने समय आएको छ।
जलवायु कूटनीति अब पर्याप्त छैन। जलवायु मुद्दासम्बन्धी कानुनी सम्भावनासमेत गम्भीरतापूर्वक अध्ययन गरेर नेपालले क्षतिपूर्ति कूटनीति सुरु गर्नुपछ। तर, यसमा सावधानी पनि अपनाउनु पर्छ। यो कुनै देशविरुद्धको क्षणिक आक्रोश होइन। यो अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कानुन, वैज्ञानिक प्रमाण र जलवायु न्यायलाई आर्थिक उत्तरदायित्वसँग जोड्ने रणनीति हो। सबैभन्दा पहिले नेपालले आफ्नो क्षतिको दस्तावेजीकरण गरेर प्रमाण तयार गर्नुपर्छ।
प्रत्येक ठूलो जलवायुजन्य विपद्को प्रत्यक्ष र अप्रत्यक्ष क्षतिको लेखाजोखा हुनुपर्छ। सडक र पुल मात्र होइन, कृषि उत्पादन, ऊर्जा उत्पादन, पर्यटन, रोजगारी, विस्थापन, शिक्षा, सामाजिक संरचना, सार्वजनिक ऋण र स्थानीय अर्थतन्त्रमा परेको प्रभावसमेत गणना गर्नुपर्छ।
कुन घटना सामान्य प्राकृतिक प्रक्रियाको परिणाम हो? कुन जोखिम जलवायु परिवर्तनले बढाएको हो? तापक्रम वृद्धि, हिमनदीको अवस्था, हिमतालको अस्थिरता र चरम मौसमबीचको सम्बन्ध कति बलियो छ? यस्ता प्रश्नको वैज्ञानिक उत्तरबिना अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय क्षतिपूर्तिको दाबी कमजोर हुन्छ। त्यसैले नेपालले जलवायु कारण निर्धारणसम्बन्धी अध्ययनमा लगानी गर्नुपर्छ। कूटनीतिमा भावनाले सहानुभूति त प्राप्त गर्न सकिन्छ तर दाबी गर्न प्रमाण चाहिन्छ।
नेपालले हरेक ठूलो विपद्पछि प्रस्तुत गर्न सकिने वैज्ञानिक र आर्थिक ‘क्षतिपूर्ति दाबीसम्बन्धी दस्तावेज’ तयार गरेर हानि तथा नोक्सानीलाई नेपालको जलवायु कूटनीतिको मुलमुद्दा बनाउनुपर्छ। र संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघीय जलवायु प्रक्रियामा हानि तथा नोक्सानी सम्बन्धी वित्तीय संयन्त्रबाट नेपालले लाभ लिन सक्ने गरी आफ्नो संस्थागत क्षमता निर्माण गर्नुपर्छ।
अनि, जलवायु वित्तलाई नयाँ परियोजना वा ऋण प्राप्त गर्ने अवसरका रूपमा मात्र पनि हेर्नु हुँदैन। भूगर्भविद् श्रीकमल द्विवेदीका अनुसार त्यो वित्त जलवायुजन्य प्रकोप न्यूनीकरणमा लगाउनु पर्छ। अन्यथा फेरि नीति निर्माणका नाममा दुरुपयोग हुने खतरा छ। नेपालले हतारमा यसलाई राजनीतिक मुद्दा बनाइहाल्ने भन्दा पनि अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कानुनविद्, जलवायु वैज्ञानिक, अर्थशास्त्री, कूटनीतिज्ञ र विश्वविद्यालयहरूलाई समेटेर जलवायु कानुनी कार्यदल गठन गर्नु आवश्यक भएको उनको तर्क छ।
यो कार्यदलले कानुनी दायित्व, वैज्ञानिक कारण निर्धारण र आर्थिक क्षतिको सम्बन्ध स्थापित गरेपछि नेपालले अदालतमा नजाने निर्णय नै गरे पनि विश्वसनीय कानुनी रणनीति आफैंमा एउटा कूटनीतिक शक्ति बन्छ। अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय वार्तामा शक्ति केवल ठूलो अर्थतन्त्रबाट मात्र आउँदैन। प्रमाण, कानुनी तयारी र वैकल्पिक रणनीतिबाट पनि आउँछ।
द्विवेदीका अनुसार हिमनदी र हिमताल निगरानी, पूर्वसूचना प्रणाली, जलवायु अनुसन्धान, जोखिमयुक्त पूर्वाधारको पुनर्निर्माण, समुदायको पुनर्स्थापना र अपरिहार्य हानि तथा नोक्सानीको वित्तीय सम्बोधनसम्म यसको दायरा फैलाएर अझ चीन र भारतसँगको कूटनीतिक सम्बन्धलाई पनि जलवायु सुरक्षाको दृष्टिले पुनः परिभाषित गर्नु आजको आवश्कता हो।
हिमालका नदी, हिमनदी, हिमताल र पहिरोले राजनीतिक सीमा चिन्दैनन्। त्यसैले वास्तविक समयमा सूचना आदानप्रदान, हिमनदी तथा हिमताल निगरानी, नदी बेसिन व्यवस्थापन, पूर्वसूचना र सीमापार अनुसन्धानका लागि नयाँ क्षेत्रीय संयन्त्र आवश्यक छ। विशेषतः उत्तरी हिमाली क्षेत्रमा उत्पन्न जोखिम केही घण्टामै नेपाली बस्तीलाई सोत्तर पार्न सक्ने यसै घटनाबाट प्रमाणित भइसकेको छ।
अनि जलवायु कूटनीति अब वातावरण मन्त्रालयको मात्र विषय रहन सक्दैन। यो अर्थ मन्त्रालय, परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालय, ऊर्जा, भौतिक पूर्वाधार, पर्यटन, कृषि र राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षाको विषय पनि हो। नेपालले अब अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय जलवायु सम्मेलनमा केवल ‘हामी जोखिममा छौं’ भन्नु भन्दा आफ्नो क्षतिको हिसाबकिताब स्पष्टरुपमा प्रस्तुत गर्नुपर्छ। यस्तै, अब अनुकूलन वित्त माग्नु मात्र पनि पर्याप्त छैन। हानि तथा नोक्सानीको दाबी गर्नुपर्छ। नेपाल सहानुभूति खोज्ने देश होइन, अब जलवायु न्यायको दाबीकर्ताका रूपमा उभिनुपर्छ। र बुधबारको प्रतिनिधि सभाले सरकारलाई दिएको निर्देशन पनि यही हो।
‘हामी गरिब छौं, सहयोग गरिदिनुहोस्’ भन्ने भाष्यबाट अब नेपालले ‘हामी जलवायु संकटको अग्रपंक्तिमा छौं, यसको असमान लागत बाँडिनुपर्छ’ भन्ने भाष्य बनाउनतिर लाग्नुपर्छ।
र, ‘राहत चाहियो’ बाट ‘हानि तथा नोक्सानीका लागि वित्त चाहियो’ भन्नेतर्फ जानुपर्छ।
अनि, ‘परियोजना चाहियो’ बाट ‘दीर्घकालीन जलवायु उत्थानशील विकासका लागि वित्त चाहियो’ भन्नेतर्फ जानुपर्छ।
र, सबैभन्दा महत्वपूर्ण, ‘विपद् प्राकृतिक हो’ भन्ने पुरानो सोचबाट ‘जलवायु परिवर्तनले जोखिम बढाएको छ र त्यसको लागत पनि न्यायपूर्ण रूपमा बाँडिनुपर्छ’ भन्ने नयाँ यथार्थतर्फ जानुपर्छ।
अनि नेपालका जनताको नामबाट विश्व बैंकलाई पठाइएको पत्रमा लेखिएझैंः
हामीलाई थप जलवायु ऋण होइन, ऐक्यबद्धता चाहिएको छ।
हामीलाई जलवायु ऋण होइन, अनुदान चाहिएको छ।
अनि जलबायु न्याय चाहिएको छ।
हिमालले चेतावनी दिएको धेरै भयो।
अब नेपालले त्यो चेतावनीलाई सुस्तरी होइन, अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मञ्चमा सुनिनेगरी उठाउनु पर्छ।

(First published in Nepalkhabar.com - https://nepalkhabar.com/opinion/285837-2026-9-3-10-56-25)

ADB responds immediately to Nepal floods with $5 million grant

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $5 million emergency grant to fund urgent rescue and relief operations after devastating floods and debris flows struck communities along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems on August 26.
"This $5 million grant is a promise kept," said ADB President Masato Kanda, who had recently visited Nepal. "When people in our member countries need us, we will be there for them," he said, adding that families along these rivers have lost loved ones, homes, and the basic services their communities need. "Help cannot wait. The losses are devastating and are still being counted but this will help get food, safe water, shelter, medicine, and other urgent support to people who need it now. When disaster strikes, ADB moves."
The disaster has caused widespread loss of life, injuries, displacement, and severe damage to homes, infrastructure, and essential services in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts. The government has declared the affected areas disaster crisis-affected zones and is leading large-scale response operations. Search and rescue operations and assessments of the damage and community needs are continuing.
The grant, financed through ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, will help pay for search and rescue equipment, medical supplies, food, safe drinking water, temporary shelter, sanitation and hygiene supplies, debris clearance, emergency stabilisation work, and logistical support.
ADB is working closely with the government of Nepal, including the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), United Nations (UN) agencies, and development partners to assess the changing situation and support the country’s response and recovery, accordng to a press note issued by the ADB.
ADB is processing up to $150,000 through a second window of the disaster response fund to support a post-disaster needs assessment, recovery planning, and preparation for possible recovery and reconstruction investments, it reads, adding, "At the government’s request, the assessment will measure damage and losses, identify needs across affected sectors, and help set priorities for recovery and reconstruction."
ADB has long supported Nepal’s efforts to reduce disaster risks and withstand through stronger infrastructure, institutions, and emergency preparedness. ADB will continue working with the government and people of Nepal through the emergency response and the recovery and reconstruction that follow, it has added.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members - 50 from the region.

MCA-Nepal marks the start of upgradation of 40km Dhan Khola to Lamahi section of East-West Highway

Millennium Challenge Account Nepal (MCA-Nepal) today marked the commencement of the upgrading of the 40km Dhan Khola-Lamahi section of the East-West Highway. The road upgrading and maintenance works will, for the first time in Nepal, apply Full Depth Reclamation and Superpave as modern construction methods that offer important gains in quality, durability, and sustainability, according to MCA-Nepal.
By creating a stronger and longer-lasting road surface, reusing existing asphalt materials, and reducing environmental impacts, these approaches will help deliver a more reliable and cost-effective investment over the long term, a press note issued by the MCA-Nepal reads. "The project will also widen the road to 12 meters, with a 7-meter carriageway and 2.5-meter shoulders on both sides."
Addressing the event, the Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Chet Narayan Acharya, welcomed the use of modern technologies like FDR and Superpave, which will ensure better quality and longer-lasting roads. “This is a major step forward for our province and the people who rely on this highway every day," he said, adding that the upgrading of the road section will not only make travel safer and more reliable, but also open up new opportunities for local businesspeople, farmers, and entrepreneurs.
Similarly, Charge d'Affaires ai at the US Embassy Scott Urbon said, “Today’s launch of the Dhan Khola-Lamahi road upgrade marks an important milestone in the partnership between the United States and Nepal."
Through the MCC Nepal Compact, we are investing in high-quality, durable infrastructure that will lower transportation costs, improve safety, and connect communities to markets and opportunities, he said, further adding, “This project reflects our trust in Nepal’s future and our joint dedication to sustainable economic growth.”
Speaking at the event, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transportation and MCA-Nepal Board Member Sushil Babu Dhakal expressed, “As a Board member, I am pleased to highlight that MCA-Nepal’s investments are designed to complement the Government of Nepal’s plans and programs."
This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to building resilient infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities for our communities, he said, appreciating the efforts of all involved and look forward to the timely completion of this important project.
The MCC Deputy Resident Country Director Sanjay Poudyal, on the occasion, remarked that this milestone reflects MCC’s commitment to supporting Nepal in building resilient, cost-effective infrastructure using advanced technologies that ensure long-term performance.
"The commencement of works on the Dhan Khola-Lamahi section marks a significant step in implementing the Road Maintenance Project under the MCC Nepal Compact," said MCA-Nepal Executive Director Khadga Bahadur Bisht said. "MCA-Nepal remains committed to delivering this project efficiently, transparently, and to the highest quality standards," he said, adding, “I would also like to recognise the continued support from the Government, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and our key stakeholders, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, the Department of Roads, and the MCA-Nepal Board.”
The Road Maintenance Project is a key component of the MCC Nepal Compact, aimed at lowering transportation costs and improving road conditions across Nepal.

Nepal-China seal 11 billion second phase Ring Road expansion deal

The long-awaited second phase of Kathmandu Ring Road expansion is going to begin following a formal agreement signed today between the Government of Nepal and the People’s Republic of China.
Under the agreement, the Chinese government will provide a grant of approximately Rs 11 billion to upgrade the 8.2-kilometer road from Kalanki to Basundhara. The project includes widening the road to eight lanes and constructing several new bridges and pedestrian overpasses, according to a press note issued by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, Transport, and Urban Development.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry by Minister for Physical Infrastructure, Transport, and Urban Development Sunil Lamsal and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming. This phase follows the successful completion of the first section-the Koteshwar-Kalanki stretch-which was also built with Chinese assistance, it reads.
Speaking after the ceremony, Minister Lamsal emphasized a new 'zero-delay' approach to the construction. "The government has prioritised north-south connectivity as a national goal," he said, adding, "I am personally committed to ensuring that any administrative or technical hurdles arising during implementation are resolved within 24 hours to keep the project on track."
"The agreement related to assistance under the second phase of the Ring Road expansion has been completed today," he said, adding that the assistance agreement was signed with the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming. "On behalf of the government, a commitment has been expressed to resolve any problems arising during the project’s implementation within a day and to provide necessary facilitation."
Ambassador Maoming echoed the sentiment of cooperation, stating that the project serves as a cornerstone of bilateral infrastructure ties. He added that Chinese investors are increasingly looking at Nepal's energy and transport sectors, provided the 'suitable investment environment' continues to improve.
The Department of Roads confirmed that the expansion will address previous design concerns by incorporating modern medians, streetlights, and disabled-friendly overhead bridges. With the agreement signed, a Chinese technical team is expected to arrive at the site shortly, the press note adds.

Japan and UNDP partner to strengthen urban resilience to climate risks in Nepal

As part of UNDP’s global 'Climate Promise' initiative, the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a new $1.296 million 'Smart Buildings and Green Infrastructure for Improved Human Security and Sustainable Development' project to strengthen urban resilience to rising climate risks in Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City (DSMC).
The launch event was led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Nepal Toru Maeda and Resident Representative of UNDP in Nepal Kyoko Yokosuka.
Nepal is warming at nearly twice the global average, with urban areas facing increasing risks, according to a press note issued by UNDP. "In Dhangadhi, temperatures frequently exceed 40°C during recurrent heatwaves from May to August," it reads, adding that rapid and unplanned urbanisation, shrinking green spaces, and limited energy-efficient infrastructure are intensifying impacts on health, livelihoods, and essential services, particularly for low-income households and outdoor workers.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Maeda reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to advancing climate resilience in Nepal, particularly for communities most vulnerable to climate risks. He expressed hope that the project would enhance urban resilience to extreme heat in Dhangadhi through integrated urban heat management solutions. He also noted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal, and emphasised that the project would further strengthen the long-standing partnership between the two countries.
"Through this partnership, UNDP is advancing practical solutions to urban heat in Dhangadhi, including thermal retrofitting of public buildings and community infrastructure, restoring urban wetlands, and promoting nature-based cooling solutions," Yokosuka said, adding, "These approaches are designed to be scaled and replicated across cities facing similar risks."
The project will demonstrate integrated climate solutions in Dhangadhi, combining infrastructure, planning, and local capacity to address rising heat risks. It is expected to directly benefit around 4,000 people-at least half of them women-while contributing to longer-term efforts to build more inclusive and climate-resilient cities in Nepal.

Nepal’s RSP majority eases near-term political risk, policy agenda key: Fitch Ratings

The clear parliamentary majority for Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) reduces near-term political uncertainty and provides an opportunity for enhanced policy predictability and implementation of governance and economic reforms, according to a press note issued by the Fitch Ratings. "The election result should lower the risk of a prolonged coalition negotiation after severe unrest last year, reduce the chance of a recurrence of recent years’ frequent government changes and potentially boost investor sentiment over time if signals point to tangible improvements in governance and economic reform delivery," it adds.
The scale of the RSP’s victory reflects a voter mandate to break with the status quo politics of power sharing, with the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) losing seats. A single-party majority, subject to final certification by the Election Commission (EC), should imply a short political transition and could improve Nepal’s ability to sustain reform momentum and translate hydropower-led investment into broader-based growth.
The RSP targets average real GDP growth of about 7 percent over the next five years, raising per capita income above $3,000, which we believe is ambitious. The new government’s policy agenda will be key in determining the extent to which growth can be lifted from our current forecast of 4.5 percent in the fiscal year ending 15 July 2027.
The RSP’s manifesto and announcements indicate it is aiming for policies that would lead to productivity gains, formal job creation to curb emigration, and higher private-sector-led investment in infrastructure, agriculture, service, digital and innovative industries.
When Fitch affirmed Nepal’s ‘BB-’ rating with a Stable Outlook in November 2025, "we stated that strong, sustainable growth, enabling substantial increases in GDP per capita - potentially supported by improved governance standards and regulations conducive to private and foreign investment - could improve Nepal’s credit profile," it further reads.
However, implementation capacity could be a key risk down the road, it says, adding that Nepal’s weak government effectiveness and regulatory quality scores compared with its peers could constrain execution, for instance, if reform sequencing is unclear or governance outcomes lag behind campaign expectations. "Private investment and foreign participation are likely to hinge on measurable improvements in the business environment and accountability frameworks, alongside sustained anti-corruption enforcement under the new government."
Nepal’s ‘BB-’ rating is supported by low and highly concessional government and external debt burdens, strong external liquidity, and solid medium-term growth prospects anchored by hydropower, with resilience reinforced by successful IMF programme implementation. Constraints remain the underdeveloped economy’s exposure to external shocks and natural disasters, and weaker structural features - especially GDP per capita and governance metrics - than ‘BB’ category peers.

ADB supports Nepal’s digital transformation toward high‑impact services

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $40 million concessional loan to help Nepal accelerate its digital transformation agenda and expand access to high‑impact digital services for citizens and businesses.
The Nepal Digital Transformation Project - the first in South Asia to be co-financed under the ADB–World Bank Full Mutual Reliance Framework (FMRF) - will strengthen the country’s data hosting and cybersecurity infrastructure to enhance government-wide digital security and resilience, along with core digital public infrastructure for modern, user‑centric services, according to a press note issued by the ADB. "It will support key initiatives such as developing an integrated citizen service portal, improving the national social registry, establishing a secure government-wide data exchange platform for safe and efficient information sharing, and digitalizing about 11 high‑impact government services, according to a press release issued by the multilateral lender."
“Digital transformation is no longer optional - it is critical for improving public service delivery and supporting Nepal’s economic development,” said ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois. “The reforms supported by ADB and the World Bank will make key services easier to access, reduce waiting times and administrative barriers, and enhance transparency in government processes - helping build greater trust between citizens and public institutions.
The project will be implemented by Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. It aligns with Nepal’s Digital Nepal Framework 2.0, Sixteenth National Plan, e‑Governance Blueprint, and ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal, 2025–2029, which identifies digital transformation as a core crosscutting priority, the press note reads.
The FMRF is an innovative co-financing arrangement between ADB and the World Bank designed to streamline project preparation, reduce duplication, and deliver faster and more effective development support. The World Bank is the lead lender for the Nepal Digital Transformation Project, approving its $50 million concessional loan in February this year.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members - 50 from the region.

World Bank approves $50 million Digital Transformation Project

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $50 million in financing to boost Nepal’s digital public infrastructure and digitise public services, fundamentally changing how services are delivered to the people.
The Nepal Digital Transformation Project will invest in digital platforms including an integrated online citizen service portal and an integrated social registry; a secure government-wide data exchange; and a digital locker to manage verifiable credentials and digital wallet, according to a press note issued by the World Bank. "The project will also help digitise high-impact services including land administration with other services being added in a phased approach," it reads, adding that the project aims to boost private sector investment in the data infrastructure market by improving legal and regulatory frameworks. "To promote trust in the digital economy, the project will invest in electronic signatures, cybersecurity, and data governance."
“By investing in core digital platforms and digitalising services, this project will help deliver enhanced services to people and businesses in an inclusive and transparent manner thereby improving service delivery, public sector efficiency, and good governance,” said World Bank Division Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka David Sislen.
The project will be financed under a joint co-financing arrangement between the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework. The World Bank is the lead lender while the ADB will serve as the trail lender and contribute $40 million. ADB’s management is expected to present the project to their Board for consideration in March 2026.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Department of National ID and Civil Registration.

World Bank approves $95 million to support sustainable and inclusive finance

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a $95 million operation to help expand access to finance for more than 100,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and promote job-led growth in Nepal.

“This operation will strengthen Nepal’s Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund (DCGF) to expand risk-sharing, enhance financial sustainability, and introduce new guarantee products for underserved segments such as women-led businesses,” said World Bank Country Division Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka David Sislen. “By easing access to finance and reducing transaction barriers, the operation will broaden financial inclusion, support the integration of MSMEs into regional and global value chains, and foster job creation and private sector–led growth."
The Sustainable and Inclusive Finance Project (SIF) builds on reforms supported under the World Bank financed Financial Sector Stability and Finance for Growth Development Policy Credit (DPC) series, concluded in 2024, which prioritised access to finance for underserved segments as a key pillar.
Complementing these efforts, the project will invest in technology and institutional capacity of the Credit Information Bureau of Nepal (CIBN) to expand data coverage, integrate alternative data sources, and enhance data security and privacy. The International Finance Corporation has been supporting CIBN in this endeavor. The project also aligns with the Government of Nepal’s recently approved second Financial Sector Development Strategy, according to the World Bank.
“Inadequate collateral and limited credit histories have long constrained SMEs’ access to affordable finance while limiting lenders’ ability to accurately assess credit risk,” said Senior Financial Sector Specialist for South Asia Region, and Task Team Leader for the operation Sabin Raj Shrestha. "The DCGF will be strengthened by upgrading its management information system, improving claims-settlement efficiency, and transitioning to risk-based pricing and first-loss coverage."

IOM supports government to strengthen capacity for climate change negotiations

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nepal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, organised a three-day capacity building training on climate change negotiations for Government Officials from 25 to 27 January. The initiative aimed to enhance Nepal’s preparedness and strategic engagement in international climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Nepal is among the countries most vulnerable to impacts of climate change due to its fragile ecosystems and an economy highly dependent on climate-sensitive sectors such as tourism, agriculture, water resources, and forestry, according to a press note issued by the IOM. "As climate-related hazards intensify, they are increasing economic stress, disrupting livelihoods, and slowing developmental progress," it reads, adding that these pressures are also directly impacting climate-induced displacement across communities. "Despite this growing scale and complexity of climate-related mobility, global climate governance and policies have not yet fully integrated into these issues, limiting opportunities for comprehensive and people-centred climate action."
IOM Chief of Mission in Nepal Helene Fors, on the occasion, echoed the importance of strengthened advocacy on the concerning issue of climate mobility in Nepal on global platforms. “Together, we can ensure that Nepal’s voice, particularly on climate vulnerability, climate finance, and human mobility is clearly heard on the global stage,” she said.
The training brought together government officials from key institutions, including Ministry of Forests and Environment; Ministry of Home Affairs; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security; National Planning Commission; National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority; and National Human Rights Commission and others.
The programme focused on enhancing participants’ understanding of substantive and procedural issues under the UNFCCC process, strengthening inter- ministerial coordination and collaboration, promoting knowledge-sharing and building practical negotiation skills. Particular emphasis was placed on the nexus between climate change, environmental degradation, and human mobility.
This initiative lays a foundation for more future initiatives to strengthen national climate action response through an informed, coordinated and strategically prepared national negotiation team, supporting effective participation and influence in upcoming UNFCCC processes, including the Bonn Climate Sessions, the 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31), and future negotiations.
Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Environment Maheshwar Dhakal, on the occasion, encouraged participants to make full use of the three-day training and further enhance their negotiation skills, noting that “Negotiation is a vital skill, not only within the context of climate change and the UNFCCC process, but also in our everyday lives."
Through this capacity-building initiative, IOM reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nepal in addressing critical intersections of climate change, human mobility and sustainable development, while advancing the recognition and integration of human mobility considerations within national climate action and policy frameworks.
This event was organised under the project 'Nepal: Promoting a Human Security and Gender Equality- Based Approach to Migration and Adaptation to Climate Change,' supported by the IOM Development Fund. It aligns with the project’s overarching objective of supporting Nepal in responding to the challenges across the Migration, Environment and Climate Change nexus.

IMF sets stage for major anti-corruption reform plan in Nepal

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) technical assistance mission, led by Jonathan Pampolina, successfully concluded its scoping visit to Kathmandu yesterday (January 21).
The 10-day mission, which began on January 12, was conducted at the request of the Nepali authorities to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive Governance and Corruption Diagnostic (GCD).
The diagnostic is designed to identify governance weaknesses and corruption vulnerabilities that are critical to Nepal’s macroeconomic stability. The final goal is to create a prioritized and sequenced action plan to strengthen the country's state functions and integrity.
What are the focus areas of the diagnostic?
The mission utilized the IMF 2018 Enhanced Governance Framework to target core state functions, specifically focusing on Fiscal Governance, Financial Sector Oversight, Rule of Law, strengthening anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism and Anti-Corruption Framework.
The IMF team held extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of state institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the Supreme Court, and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). To ensure a holistic perspective, the mission also met with business associations, civil society organizations, and international development partners.
The IMF staff praised the Nepali government's commitment to the diagnostic process. A full GCD mission is scheduled for the coming months to finalize reform recommendations. The process will culminate in a comprehensive report analyzing the severity of corruption and providing a roadmap for reforms intended to boost Nepal’s economic outcomes and institutional resilience.

UNRC-Nepal Hanaa Singer-Hamdy awarded the Recognition Award 2025

The Ambassadors Club Nepal has honoured United Nations Resident Coordinator-Nepal (UNRC) Hanaa Singer-Hamdy with the ‘Recognition Award 2025’ in a special ceremony held on Monday at its office premises in Bishalnagar.
The President of the Ambassadors Club Nepal, Amb Dr Sarmila Parajuli Dhakal, announced the recognition award to UNRC-Nepal Chief Hanaa. “In recognition of her (Hanaa’s) distinguished leadership, dedicated service, and lasting contribution to Nepal’s development journey, the Ambassadors Club Nepal will present the Recognition Award 2025 to Her Excellency Hanaa Singer-Hamdy,” President Dr Parajuli, who is also a former ambassador to Spain and Oman, added.
On behalf of the Ambassadors Club, Law and Human Rights Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Pushkar Sapkota presented the Award to Hanaa. This is the first award given by the Ambassadors Club Nepal, which will award ambassadors, diplomats, and heads and officials of international organisations on a yearly basis. The Ambassadors Club Nepal said the honour reflects its sustained commitment to strengthening development cooperation and fostering positive change in Nepal. The award is selected by the jury committee of the Ambassadors Club Nepal.
After receiving the award, UNRC-Nepal Hanaa thanked the Ambassadors Club Nepal and President Amb Dr Parajuli. “Thank you very much for honouring me. This is amazing-what you’ve done, always so graceful and always so appreciative,” Hanaa said, adding, “Nepal for me is my Maitighar (mother’s home). I have been coming to Nepal since 1997. I have visited Nepal around seven or eight times, and I have lived and worked in Nepal for around six years. I have travelled to over 54 districts, and I have been overwhelmed by emotions.”
She said that she always comes back to Nepal because there is some magic in Nepal that can only be found here, and part of that magic is the people.
During the award ceremony, ambassadors, diplomats, government officials, officials from other diplomatic missions, and leaders of private sector were also present.
Ambassadors Club Nepal is a prestigious non-profit and non-partisan space, serves as a unique platform where diplomatic missions converge to foster friendship, trust, and meaningful dialogue. It celebrates the art of diplomacy, nurtures collaborative partnerships, and cultivates a spirit of shared purpose that extends beyond borders; a space built on friendship, trust, and dialogue. 

Has govt endorsed money laundering of cooperative fraud ?

While cases related to cooperative fraud and money laundering are still under judicial and investigative review, a recent controversial decision by the government has pushed Nepal into deeper risk under international anti-money laundering scrutiny.
Analysts warn that Nepal, already on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ‘grey list,’ could now be heading toward the far more damaging ‘black list.’
Nepal is currently classified by FATF as a ‘jurisdiction under increased monitoring,’ which means ‘grey list’. However, concerns intensified after the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) decided to amend charge sheets in cases involving Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane, his business partner and fugitive GB Rai, altogether 153 accused of cooperative fraud and money laundering. The move has raised fears that international confidence in Nepal’s commitment to fighting illicit finance is eroding.
The present civilian government, led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki and formed in the aftermath of the Gen-Z protests of September 8 and 9 protests – that claimed the lives of 76 young demonstrators demanding good governance – now finds itself engulfed in a serious moral and legal crisis, largely due to decisions taken by its chief legal advisor.
Those protests were driven by calls for transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. Yet critics argue that the very government formed out of that movement has undermined its spirit. Attorney General Sabita Bhandari, appointed by the Karki administration, has issued a series of controversial decisions that many say strike at the core of judicial integrity.
And one of them is damaging to the country also. Most recently, on Thursday and Friday, Bhandari ordered amendments to charge sheets in money laundering and organised crime cases filed against Rabi Lamichhane, GB Rai – chair of Gorkha Media – and more than hundred others implicated in a major cooperative fraud scandal.
The decision is against the Section 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code, according to legal experts, who say that the OAG has misinterpreted it to alter cases that are already under judicial consideration.
Initially, the Attorney General sought to revise charges only against Rabi Lamichhane. However, citing legal complications in treating defendants differently within the same charge sheet, she ultimately removed organized crime and money laundering charges against all 153 accused linked to five cooperatives associated with Lamichhane. This decision also benefited fugitive suspect GB Rai, who according to Rabi Lamichhane also was the mastermind behind the fraud of billions.
AG Bhandari amended all accused charges as amending charges for only one accused in a case involving multiple defendants could have led to rejection by the court. As a result, even serious allegations against absconding suspects were diluted.
Critics further allege that Friday’s decision effectively legitimizes over Rs 5 billion allegedly siphoned from cooperatives and transferred abroad through shell companies, land transactions, and cryptocurrency. “This move has made it easier for those involved to sanitize illicit funds,” one former secretary said.
“Dropping serious charges against a politically exposed person under FATF’s highest-risk category is an act that places both citizens and the state itself in danger."
FATF classifies Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), along with their family members and close associates, as high-risk under global Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) standards. Under FATF Recommendations 12 and 22, financial and designated non-financial institutions are required to apply enhanced due diligence and continuous monitoring to such individuals.
FATF also follows the principle of ‘once a PEP, always a PEP,’ meaning that heightened scrutiny does not automatically end when a person leaves office. “Given this framework, it is hard to believe that such a decision was taken without the knowledge or consent of the Prime Minister,” he noted.
Under Nepal’s own laws, organised crime and money laundering cases are not meant to be withdrawn in this manner. Beyond domestic legality, observers warn that the decision has put Nepal’s international financial credibility at stake.
After the controversial decision by AG Bhandari, victims of cooperative fraud have already taken to the streets, accusing the state of failing to recover their savings and protect their rights.
Nepal was previously placed on the FATF grey list due to weak enforcement, delayed investigations, and political interference. Analysts say leniency shown by past governments toward illicit financial networks worsened the situation and that the current administration’s actions have only amplified the risk.
Nepal is under pressure to fully implement its FATF action plan by January 2027. However, delays in completing a national risk assessment, poor coordination among investigative bodies, and a soft approach toward high-profile cases suggest the country may struggle to meet its commitments.
FATF has repeatedly urged Nepal to strengthen oversight of banks, cooperatives, casinos, precious metal and real-estate transactions, curb informal money transfer systems such as hundi – illegal transfer of money – enhance investigative and prosecutorial capacity, and ensure effective confiscation of illicit assets. Full compliance with targeted financial sanctions related to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction has also been emphasised.
Although the government claims to be working closely with FATF and the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) to address these weaknesses, analysts say recent decisions have made Nepal appear increasingly vulnerable in the global fight against money laundering.
As cooperative fraud and money laundering now directly affect Nepal’s international credibility, economic and foreign investment climate, experts warn that continued inaction – and politically motivated decisions – could push the country onto the FATF blacklist.
Observers also question the silence of political parties and civil society as the government appears to undermine the very ideals born out of the Gen-Z movement and the sacrifice of 76 young lives.
Despite having laws and institutions in place to combat illicit finance and terrorist funding, Nepal has produced limited tangible results in investigations, prosecutions, and asset seizures. Critics attribute this not only to institutional weakness but also to long-standing collusion between political leadership and notorious financial middlemen under previous administrations.
Analysts warn that Nepal’s situation deteriorated sharply in the immediate past after the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli government withdrew cases against members of the controversial ‘Thurman Gun gang’ and individuals including Deepak Bhatt from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) and Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). They claim the risk has increased even further under the current government due to its controversial decisions, raising fears that Nepal could slide into the FATF ‘dark grey list’ or even the ‘black list.'
Although Nepal has established rules, laws, and institutional mechanisms to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, it has failed to produce tangible results in practice. As a result, progress in investigations, prosecutions, and asset seizures remains limited. Critics argue that this is not due to government inefficiency alone, but also because of alleged collusion between past governments and notorious networks and intermediaries like the so-called Thurmal Gun gang, during the tenure of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel.
At present, however, analysts say Nepal has been pushed into even greater risk due to what they describe as the Karki government’s inexplicable leniency toward Rabi Lamichhane, a politically influential figure (PEPs) listed under FATF’s high-risk category.
Similar flawed decisions and delays in enforcing the law under previous governments led to Nepal being placed back on the FATF ‘grey list.'
Observers now find it troubling that a country already weakened by alleged close ties between political leaders and intermediaries accused of laundering illicit money may be moving toward the FATF ‘black list’ under Prime Minister Karki and her controversial Attorney General Bhandari.
This is because money laundering in Nepal is not limited to brokers and intermediaries alone; it is also widespread among politically connected figures like Rabi Lamichhane involved in the cooperative sector. Many cooperatives are allegedly operated by politicians and their family members, where public funds are misappropriated while enjoying protection from political parties and law-enforcement agencies. Rabi Lamichhane, critics argue, is only an example of a much broader problem.
For these reasons, the Lamichhane case is no longer just a domestic legal matter, it has become a test of Nepal’s commitment to global financial integrity. Failure to correct course, experts warn, could see Nepal slide from the grey list into the far more damaging FATF blacklist.

(Originally published at Nepalkhabar: https://en.nepalkhabar.com/news/detail/16925/)

कालो धन कारोबारलाई प्रधानमन्त्री कार्कीको स्वीकृति ? नेपाल कालोसूचीमा पर्ने जोखिम

सहकारी ठगी र सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरणका मुद्दा अझै अदालत र अनुसन्धान प्रक्रियामै रहेका बेला सरकारको हालैको एक विवादास्पद निर्णयले कालोधन ओसारपसारसम्बन्धी अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय निगरानी सूचीमा रहेको नेपालका लागि झन् गम्भीर जोखिम उत्पन्न गरेको छ। विशेषगरी फाइनान्सियल एक्सन टास्क फोर्स (एफएटीएफ) को ‘ग्रे लिस्ट’ (खैरो सूची)मा रहेको नेपाल अब ‘ब्ल्याक लिस्ट’ (कालोसूची)तर्फ उन्मुख हुन सक्ने आशंका बढेको छ।
नेपाल हाल एफएटीएफको ‘खैरो सूची’ अर्थात् औपचारिक रूपमा बढी निगरानीमा रहेका क्षेत्राधिकारको सूचीमा छ।
तर महान्यायाधिवक्ता कार्यालयले राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्र पार्टीका सभापति रवि लामिछाने, उनका साझेदार तथा हाल फरार जीबी राईसहित १५३ जनाविरुद्ध दायर सहकारी ठगी तथा सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरणसम्बन्धी मुद्दामा अभियोगपत्र परिमार्जन गर्ने निर्णय गरेपछि अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय तहमा नेपालप्रतिको विश्वास कमजोर हुन सक्ने चिन्ता व्यक्त गरिएको हो।
सुशासनका लागि गत भदौ २३ र २४ गते जेनजीले गरेको प्रदर्शनका क्रममा मारिएका युवाहरूको रगतको जगमा बनेको पूर्वप्रधानन्यायाधीश सुशीला कार्की नेतृत्वको सरकार यतिबेला आफ्नै कानुनी सल्लाहकारका कारण गम्भीर नैतिक र कानुनी संकटमा फसेको हो। सुशासन, पारदर्शिता र कानुनी राज्यको माग गर्दै जेनजी विद्रोह भएको थियो। तर, त्यसैको जगमा सत्तामा पुगेकी कार्कीले नियुक्त गरेकी कानुनी सल्लाहकार अर्थात् महान्यायाधिवक्ता सविता भण्डारीले एकपछि अर्को विवादास्पद निर्णय गर्दै जाँदा न्यायको मर्ममाथि नै प्रहार भएको छ। 
पछिल्लो समय महान्यायाधिवक्ता भण्डारीले तीनवटा ठूला र संवेदनशील प्रकरणमा लिएका विवादास्पद निर्णयले प्रधानमन्त्री कार्कीप्रति मात्र नभएर नेपालकै न्याय प्रणालीमा शंका उत्पन्न भएको छ।
भण्डारीले बिहीबार र शुक्रबार सहकारी ठगी प्रकरणका आरोपित राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्र पार्टी (रास्वपा)का सभापति रवि लामिछाने र गोरखा मिडिया प्रालिका अध्यक्ष जीबी राईसहित १५३ जनाविरुद्धको सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण र संगठित अपराधको मुद्दाको अभियोगपत्र संशोधन गर्ने निर्णय गरिन्। मुलुकी फौजदारी कार्यविधि संहिताको दफा ३६ को ‘गलत प्रयोग’ गर्दै भण्डारीले विचाराधीन मुद्दाको अभियोगपत्र संशोधन गर्न निर्देशन दिएकी हुन्।
महान्यायाधिवक्ता भण्डारीले सुरुमा रवि लामिछानेको अभियोगपत्र सच्याउने निर्णय गरेकी थिइन्। तर एउटै अभियोगपत्रमा रहेका अन्य अभियुक्तहरूका हकमा फरक व्यवहार गर्दा कानुनी जटिलता देखिने भएपछि रविसँग जोडिएका पाँच सहकारीका सबै १५३ प्रतिवादीलाई ‘संगठित अपराध’ र ‘सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण’ अभियोगबाट मुक्त गर्ने विवादास्पद निर्णय गरिन्।
एउटै प्रकृतिको अपराधमा संलग्नमध्ये एक जनाको मात्रै अभियोग परिमार्जन गर्दा अदालतबाट अस्वीकार हुन सक्ने अवस्था भएकाले फरार अभियुक्त जीबी राईजस्ता व्यक्तिको हकमा समेत गम्भीर अभियोग हटाइएको हो।
यो विवादास्पद निर्णयसँगै सहकारी ठगीबाट आर्जित तथा विभिन्न कम्पनी, जग्गा कारोबार र क्रिप्टो करेन्सीमार्फत नेपालबाहिर लगिएको ५ अर्ब बढी रकम वैध बनाउने रवि लामिछाने र जीबी राईको प्रयासलाई महान्यायाधिवक्ता भण्डारीले सहज बनाइदिएकी छिन्।
'एफएटीएफले उच्च निगरानीमा राखेको राजनीतिक रूपमा प्रभावशाली व्यक्तिसँग जोडिएको मुद्दा फिर्ता गर्नु राज्यले आफ्नै नागरिक र अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय प्रतिबद्धतामाथि जोखिम निम्त्याउनु हो,' एक पूर्वसचिव भन्छन्।
एफएटीएफले सबैभन्दा बढी निगरानी गर्नुपर्ने सूचीमा पहिलो नम्बरमा राखेको राजनीतिज्ञको गम्भीर प्रकृतिको मुद्दाफिर्ताको आफैँमा नेपाल देश र नेपाली नागरिकप्रति सरकारले गरेको ठूलो अपराध भएको उनको भनाइ छ।
स्मरण रहोस्, एफएटीएफले कालोधनको ओसारपसारको जोखिमअन्तर्गत सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण निवारण/आतंकवादी गतिविधिमा वित्तीय सहयोग निवारण (एएमएल/सीएफटी) वर्गीकरण गर्दा राजनीतिकरूपमा प्रभावशाली व्यक्ति (पेप्स), तिनका परिवारका सदस्य तथा नजिकका सहयोगीहरूलाई घुसखोरी, भ्रष्टाचार र सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरणमा संलग्न हुने सम्भावनाका कारण उच्च जोखिम समूहका रूपमा पहिचान गरेको छ।
एफएटीएफको सिफारिस नम्बर १२ र २२ अनुसार यस्ता व्यक्तिहरूको कारोबारमा वित्तीय तथा गैर–वित्तीय संस्थाले कडा निगरानी र जोखिम व्यवस्थापन प्रणाली लागू गर्नुपर्ने स्पष्ट व्यवस्था छ।
एफएटीएफले अपनाएको ‘एक पटक पेप्स, सधैं पेप्स’ सिद्धान्तअनुसार पदबाट बाहिरिएपछि पनि जोखिम मूल्याङ्कनका आधारमा राजनीतिक रूपमा प्रभावशाली व्यक्तिमाथि निरन्तर निगरानी आवश्यक मानिन्छ। यही सन्दर्भमा ती पूर्वसचिव भन्छन्, 'यस्ता गम्भीर अभियोग हटाउने निर्णय प्रधानमन्त्रीको जानकारी वा सहमतिबिना भएको हो भन्न गाह्रो छ।'
एफएटीएफको मार्गदर्शनअनुसार राजनीतिकरूपमा प्रभावशाली व्यक्तिको हैसियतको समय सीमित हुँदैन भन्दै उनी भन्छन्, 'जोखिम मूल्याङ्कनको आधारमा कुनै व्यक्ति पदबाट बाहिरिएपछि पनि सधैं राजनीतिकरूपमा प्रभावशाली व्यक्तिकै रूपमा व्यवहार गर्न सकिने खुला दृष्टिकोण अपनाउन एफएटीएफले सुझाव दिएको छ।'
एकातिर नेपाली कानुनअनुसार पनि संगठित अपराध र सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरणजस्ता गम्भीर मुद्दा फिर्ता गर्न नमिल्ने अवस्था छ भने अर्कोतिर यस्तो निर्णयले नेपालको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आर्थिक प्रतिष्ठामै प्रश्न उठाएको छ। सहकारी ठगीका पीडितहरू राज्यले बचत फिर्ता गराउन प्रभावकारी भूमिका नखेलेको भन्दै सडक आन्दोलन र न्यायिक पहलमा उत्रिएका छन्।
यसअघि पनि कानुन कार्यान्वयनमा कमजोरी, अनुसन्धानमा ढिलाइ र राजनीतिक हस्तक्षेपका कारण नेपाल एफएटीएफको ‘खैरो सूची’मा परेको थियो। विश्लेषकहरूका अनुसार अघिल्ला सरकारका विवादास्पद निर्णय र कालोधनसँग जोडिएका गिरोहप्रति देखिएको उदारताले स्थिति बिग्रिएको थियो। र, वर्तमान सरकारको विवादास्पद निर्णयले जोखिम झन् बढाएको छ।
नेपाल ‘खैरो सूची’बाट बाहिर निस्कन सन् २०२७ जनवरीसम्म कार्ययोजना कार्यान्वयन गर्नुपर्ने दबाबमा छ। तर एकीकृत राष्ट्रिय जोखिम मूल्याङ्कन प्रतिवेदन समयमै तयार नहुनु, अनुसन्धान निकायबीच समन्वयको कमी र ठूला मुद्दामा देखिएको नरम व्यवहारले लक्ष्य हासिल गर्न कठिन हुने संकेत देखिएको छ।
एफएटीएफले बैंक, सहकारी, क्यासिनो, बहुमूल्य धातु तथा घरजग्गा कारोबारजस्ता जोखिम पहिचान, उच्च जोखिम क्षेत्रमा कडा निगरानी, हुण्डी नियन्त्रण, अनुसन्धान र अभियोजन क्षमता सुदृढीकरण तथा अवैध सम्पत्ति जफत प्रक्रिया प्रभावकारी बनाउन स्पष्ट सुझाव दिएको छ। साथै आतंकवाद र आम विनाशकारी अस्त्रमा हुने वित्तीय लगानी रोक्न लक्षित प्रतिबन्धको पूर्ण पालना गर्न आग्रह गरेको छ।
नेपाल सरकारले एफएटीएफ र एसिया–प्यासिफिक ग्रुप (एपीजी)सँग मिलेर कमजोरी सुधार्ने प्रतिबद्धता जनाउँदै आए पनि पछिल्ला विवादास्पद निर्णयले नेपाललाई कालोधन ओसारपसारविरुद्धको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय लडाइँमा अझै कमजोर देखाएको विश्लेषकहरूको ठम्याइ छ।
सहकारी ठगी र सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण अब केवल आन्तरिक कानुनी विषय मात्र नभई नेपालको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विश्वसनीयता, आर्थिक प्रतिष्ठा र वैदेशिक लगानीसँग प्रत्यक्ष जोडिएको मुद्दा पनि भएका कारण यस्ता निर्णयमा सुधार नआए, नेपाल कालोसूचीमा धकेलिन सक्ने चेतावनी पनि विज्ञहरूले दिएका छन्।
यसरी भदौ २३ र २४ को जेन जी आन्दोलको मर्म, कलिला शहिदको सपना तथा कानुनी राज्यको धज्जी उडाउँदै प्रधानमन्त्री कार्की सरकारले नेपाललाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रियस्तरमा कालोसूचीमा धकेल्ने विवादास्पद निर्णय गर्दा राजनीतिक दलहरू तथा नागरिक समाजको मौनता रहस्यमय छ।
नेपालले कालो धनको ओसार पसार र आतंकवादी लगानीविरुद्ध नियम, कानुन र संयन्त्र बनाए पनि व्यवहारमा ठोस परिणाम देखाउन नसकेका कारण अनुसन्धान, अभियोजन र सम्पत्ति जफतजस्ता उपलब्धि न्यून छन्। यसको कारण सरकारको असक्षमता मात्र नभई अघिल्ला सरकारका प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली तथा उनका अर्थमन्त्री विष्णु पौडेलको थर्मन गन ग्याङजस्ता बदनाम गिरोह र ‘बिचौलिया’हरूसँग विगतका सरकारहरूको साँठगाँठ रहेको आरोप छ। तर, एफएटीएफको उच्च जोखिम सुचीमा रहेको प्रभावशाली राजनीतिक ब्यक्ति रवि लामिछानेप्रति कार्की सरकारको रहस्यमय प्रेमका कारण नेपाल थप जोखिममा परेको छ।
अघिल्लो सरकारका यस्तै गलत निर्णय तथा कानुन कार्यान्वयनमा ढिलाइका कारण नेपाललाई एफएटीएफले ‘ग्रे लिस्ट’मा पुनः राखेको थियो। ओली तथा पौडेलको बेडरुमसम्म कालोधनका ओसारपसारका आरोपित थर्मन गन ग्याङजस्ता विचौलिया तथा आरोपीसँग सम्बन्ध भएका कारण खैरो सूचीमा परेको नेपाल वर्तमान प्रधानमन्त्री कार्की तथा उनका विवादित महान्यायाधिवक्ता भण्डारीका कारण कालोसूची उन्मुख हुनु दुखद छ।
ओली सरकारले सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण अनुसन्धान विभाग तथा नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकमा रहेका थर्मन गन ग्याङ र दीपक भट्टसहितका व्यक्तिविरुद्ध ती गिरोहका मुद्दा फिर्ता लिँएका कारण तत्कालनि अवस्थामा नेपालको अवस्था झन् बिग्रिएको थियो भने वर्तमान सरकारको विवादास्पद निर्णयले झन् जोखिम बढेर नेपाल ‘डार्क–ग्रे लिस्ट’ वा ‘ब्ल्याक लिस्ट’मा पर्ने जोखिम बढेको चेतावनी विश्लेषकहरूले दिएका छन्।
किनकि नेपालमा कालो धन ओसार पसार केवल बिचौलियामाझ मात्र नभई सहकारी क्षेत्रमा संलग्न राजनीतिक नेताहरूमाझ पनि व्यापक रहेको छ। धेरै सहकारी राजनीतिक नेता र उनीहरूको परिवारले चलाइरहेका छन्, जहाँ जनताको पैसा ठगी हुँदासमेत दल र कानुन कार्यान्वयन निकायको संरक्षण पाइरहेको आरोप छ। रवि लामिछाने त एउटा उदाहरण मात्र हुन्।
त्यसैले रवि लामिछानेको सहकारी ठगी र सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण मुद्दा केवल नेपालको घरेलु कानुनी मामला मात्र होइन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मान्यता, आर्थिक प्रतिष्ठा र विदेशी लगानीका लागि चुनौतीको विषय पनि हो।

(Originally published at NepalKhabar: https://nepalkhabar.com/opinion/263026-2026-1-18-22-23-52)