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.

BaYu Sambaad: Centering children and youth in climate agenda

More than 100 children and young people from across Nepal convened in Kathmandu today for the Balbalika tatha Yuwa (BaYu) Sambaad, a children and youth-led national dialogue on climate action ahead of the international Sagarmatha Sambaad. With nearly half of Nepal’s population under the age of 24, the event underscored a powerful reality: children and youth are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and they are calling for concerted and urgent climate action.

Jointly organised by the Government of Nepal and United Nations Nepal including UNICEF, FAO and UNDP with a consortium of youth networks, namely Nepalese Youth for Climate Action, Mountain Youth Hub, World Food Forum Nepal, Global Youth Biodiversity Network and Clean Energy Nepal, the event placed children and young people at the centre of the climate conversation. Representatives from the government, civil society, development partners, private sectors, media and climate experts joined the dialogue to listen to, learn from and stand with young people.

“Climate change is not a future concern, it is today’s reality”, said 20-year-old Nischal Bhatt. “We, young people, have the passion and power to bring change," he said, adding," We urge for an enabling environment where we can contribute to a climate just and resilient society”.

Despite contributing the least to climate change, children and youth bear the brunt of its consequences from exposure to extreme heat, heavy rainfall, climate induced disasters, polluted air and water, to increased health risks, poor nutrition and learning disruptions. In Nepal, climate change has been linked to a rise in vector-borne diseases, food insecurity and school closures, all challenges that disproportionately impact children.

“Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and healthy environment. Yet, climate change threatens children’s rights every day,” said Dr Alice Akunga, United Nations Resident Coordinator to Nepal ad interim. “But today’s Sambaad proves that children and young people are not just victims - they are powerful agents of change. Their voices must shape our climate response at every level.”

The BaYu Sambaad featured an exhibition of child- and youth-led climate solutions, video show, expert sessions on climate resilience, and two intergenerational panel discussions. The first explored the impact of climate change on essential services like education, health and water . The second aligned with the themes of the upcoming Sagarmatha Sambaad – scheduled from May 16 to 18 – highlighting the connections between climate change, mountain ecosystems and the future of humanity. The Sambaad also included testimonies of children, adolescent and youths from across the Nepal.

A key outcome of the BaYu Sambaad is a declaration developed by the participating children and youth, outlining their demands, commitments and proposed actions for a more climate-resilient Nepal. This declaration will be submitted to the Sagarmatha Sambaad Secretariat ahead of the Sagarmatha Sambaad, ensuring the perspectives of children and young people directly inform Nepal’s climate policy, including the development of the third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and preparations for COP30.

“Nepal is proud to be a global leader in putting youth and children at the center of our climate commitments,” said minister of Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, chief guest at the event. “Our second NDC already reflects this, and is among the most inclusive globally in terms of the needs of children and youth, and we are committed to making NDC 3.0 even more so," he said, adding that the BaYu Sambaad is an essential platform to translate  young people’s voices into action – in policy, in practice, and in our path toward a greener, more resilient Nepal.

Chair of the programme Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra, Secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, praised the initiative led by children and young people and stated that the conclusions from the BaYu Sambaad would guide Nepal’s policies and plans.

Disasters cost Nepal $7 billion in last four decades

Nepal's disaster landscape is impacted by earthquakes, floods, landslides, and droughts, which collectively have caused almost $7 billion in damages from 1980 to 2020. These disasters have affected the country's capacity to build financial resilience in the face of looming disasters., according to a report.

The government has spent Rs 50 billion ($0.4 billion) between 2012 and 2020 in disaster response and recovery. The expenditure data indicates that this is not financially sustainable in the long run, which demands the development of risk transfer solutions. In response to this pressing need, the UN Development Programme Nepal today launched the Insurance and Risk Finance Initiative.

It is part of UNDP's global initiative, the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF), which is being implemented in over thirty countries. This initiative seeks to prioritise financial resilience by tapping into the benefits of insurance and risk financing mechanisms.

During the event, the Country Diagnostic Report was jointly unveiled by revenue secretary Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, chief executive officer of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) Anil Pokhrel and UNDP's resident representative Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé.

The diagnostic highlighted that Nepal is one of the top ten countries most affected by climate change and is highly vulnerable to floods, landslides, earthquakes, and droughts, according to a press note issued by the UNDP.

The report also showcases that the government is committed to fostering the insurance industry's ability to provide accessible and affordable insurance products, as evidenced by recent legal updates such as the Insurance Act 2079, which contains several microinsurance provisions.

While credit-life microinsurance and agriculture insurance offer financial protection to low-income and vulnerable Nepali households, the overall inclusive insurance market is still lagging due to low awareness about insurance and data gaps that prevent insurance companies from offering products that meet the needs of customers, it adds.

Revenue secretary Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, on the occasion, reiterated the government's commitment to delivering risk finance solutions, mentioning that the government has already initiated the development of a  Fiscal Risk Management Framework.

Likewise, CEO of NDRRMA Anil Pokharel highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, development partners and the private sector to address increasingly frequent and complex climate and disaster risks. 

“Insurance and risk financing are among the solutions that can contribute to strengthening a comprehensive risk management approach for any country and community,” UNDP resident representative Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, on the occasion, said, adding, “We need to tap into the insurance market opportunities, leaving no one behind,”

The Initiative will work closely with government partners such as the Finance Ministry, Nepal Insurance Authority and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to improve legal and regulatory environment for insurance to be better incorporated in risk management priorities and actions.

It will also work with the insurance industry to identify the financial protection needs of vulnerable groups such as women, farmers and businesses and facilitate the offer of customer-centric insurance products. UNDP will work more broadly with other development actors also pushing for financial resilience to further advocate and make the case for insurance as a key ingredient in managing shocks and fast-tracking recovery.

Japan and UNDP collaborate to advance Climate Smart Agriculture and build Resilient Communities in Jajarkot

Two types of polyhouses – a naturally ventilated and a nursery polyhouse with misting – were inaugurated by the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in Ward 7 of Nalgad Municipality, Karnali Province.

This area was among those affected by the earthquake in November 2023.

The multi-purpose nursery with misting will grow saplings of high value crops such as vegetables, fruit, forage, and fodder for community members. These polyhouses employ drip irrigation and mist irrigation which make optimum use of water, conserve water usage, decrease labour and increase agricultural productivity. The nursery will directly benefit 25 members of the farmers’ group and other local farmers in the community.

The naturally ventilated polyhouse demonstrates the benefits of climate smart agriculture interventions, enabling off-seasonal high value vegetable production.

In addition to this, the first five, out of 900, metallic improved cooking stoves and 6 orchard management tools were handed over to the local farmers, who are impacted by the earthquakes, to support their livelihood. Through ‘Enhancing Human Security Through Local Climate Action’ project 48 polyhouses have been supported, which will benefit over 40 households.

Addressing the handover event, deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of Japan Takahiro Tamura said, "I expect that the agricultural and energy equipment handed over today will be used for a long time by the people in this region, and I believe that this project will contribute to strengthening human security through a comprehensive approach that includes gender equality, disability, and social inclusion.”

Also expressing his condolences to all those affected by the earthquake, he elaborated, “I am heartened to hear that the capacity built through this project was very helpful during the Jajarkot earthquake response, as the trained volunteers were mobilised and helped to provide first aid, search and rescue and shelter support. Also, I am glad to know that the energy and agriculture support through this project is helping the communities to bounce back for better.”

He added that the project will further strengthen the relationship between Japan and Nepal as well as the friendship between people of the two countries.

Meanwhile, deputy resident representative of UNDP, Julien Chevillard, on the occasion,  said that considering the high vulnerability, Karnali is a priority province of UNDP, and a number of projects ranging from governance to earthquake preparedness and response are being implemented based on the Leave No One Behind principle. 

Thanking the Government of Japan, he added, "Through this partnership, we contribute to Nepal's ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change, rehabilitate post-earthquake, and enhance the livelihoods of the affected community."

Thanking the Government of Japan and UNDP, Mayor of Nalgad Municipality Dambar Bahadur Rawat, emphasised that agriculture is the primary livelihood for Nalgad residents, and the provision of agricultural equipment support has assisted the affected community in sustaining their livelihoods post-earthquake. "We seek further assistance in the second phase of this programme, which can offer technical and financial support for recovery and livelihood restoration.”

Chair of Barekot Rural Municipality, Bir Bahadur Giri, on the occasion, emphasised that climate change is a global concern, and here in Karnali Province, "we are among the first to feel its effects," he said, adding that it is crucial to empower community and raise awareness about the impacts of climate change, prompting local initiatives to mitigate these effects. "We deeply appreciate the support from the Government of Japan and UNDP during these challenging times and hope for continued collaboration in the future."

In Nepal, Karnali province is among the most remote provinces in Nepal. The Human Development Index (HDI) for Jajarkot District, in Karnali Province, stands at 0.393, falling below the national average of 0.587.

Compounding these issues is the district’s vulnerability to natural hazard induced disasters, particularly floods and landslides induced by rainfall and earthquake posing additional threats to the well-being of its residents.

In October 2022, Karnali Province experienced a severe flood and landslide, resulting in numerous casualties. The impact of climate change is exacerbating the already challenging situation in Jajarkot after the earthquake. Disasters and poverty are mutually reinforcing, thus creating a cycle of vulnerability and disaster.

The joint field visit reaffirms the commitment of the Embassy of Japan and UNDP to fulfilling the Climate Promise, a shared commitment to accelerate climate action and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

By investing in projects like this one, Japan and UNDP are working together to build climate-resilient communities and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

The ‘Enhancing Human Security through Local Climate Action (EHSLCA)’ project, funded by the Government of Japan, aims to improve human security through local climate action. The project, from

March 2023 till December 2024, includes key components on energy solutions, adaptive agriculture, infrastructure for risk reduction, instrumentation for improving early warning and capacity building.

Through the project, over 40 community members were trained in search and rescue in the months of September/October 2023 in Nalgad Municipality and Barekot Rural Municipality, right before the earthquake of November 3. 

These trained volunteers provided crucial support in immediate response during the earthquake. Furthermore, the project is leveraged support to the earthquake affected communities – those affected by the Western Nepal Earthquake of November 3, 2023 - through energy solutions for early recovery in Jajarkot and West Rukum Districts.

Climate Promise supports 120 countries – including 40 least developed countries, 28 small island developing states, and 14 high emitters – to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions under the global Paris Agreement. Delivered in collaboration with a wide variety of partners, it is the world’s largest offer of support for the enhancement of climate pledges.

Nepal improves ranking in human development index

Nepal's Human Development Index (HDI) value is 0.601 —placing the country in the medium human development category and  —positioning it at 146 out of 193 countries and territories. 

Nepal’s ranking was 149 in 2021, according to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report. "As compared to 2021, Nepal’s progress on HDI value is 0.010 which is higher than global average of 0.004."

Countries with HDI values between 0.550 and 0.699 fall under the medium human development category.

Between 1990 and 2022, Nepal's HDI value changed from 0.395 to 0.601, representing a change of 52.2 percent. During the same period, Nepal's life expectancy at birth increased by 15.7 years, expected years of schooling by 5.4 years, and mean years of schooling by 2.1 years.

Nepal's GNI per capita changed by about 165.7 per cent between 1990 and 2022, the report adds.

The 2022 female HDI value for Nepal is 0.562, contrasting with 0.635 for males, resulting in a GDI value of 0.885.

Between 1990 and 2022, Nepal's life expectancy at birth changed by 15.7 years, expected years of schooling changed by 5.4 years and mean years of schooling changed by 2.1 years.

The 2022 female HDI value for Nepal is 0.562 in contrast with 0.635 for males, resulting in a GDI value of 0.885.

“Nepal performed progressively in the last 5 decades, yet fall into gridlock at times, particularly following the pandemic– be it related to decent jobs for youths, spatial and social inequalities, economic growth, as well as trust on institutions," UNDP Nepal’s Resident Representative Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé said, adding that it is fundamental to collaborate not only between three levels of governments, but also with the private sector, civil society, international community, and people at large. "The federal government could focus more on transparency, accountability, and integrity; provincial and local governments can enhance planning and service delivery; Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) could further promote people’s participation and voice to revive hope and trust, and using multilateralism, a proven path that benefit everyone in the society.”

The report argues that advancing international collective action is hindered by an emerging ‘democracy paradox’: while 9 in 10 people worldwide endorse democracy, over half of global survey respondents express support for leaders that may undermine it by bypassing fundamental rules of the democratic process, as per data analysed in the report. "Half of people surveyed worldwide report having no or limited control over their lives, and over two-thirds believe they have little influence on their government’s decisions."

Political polarisation is also a growing concern with global repercussions. Along with a sense of powerlessness, report authors say, it is fuelling inward-turning policy approaches – starkly at odds with the global cooperation needed to address urgent issues like the decarbonisation of our economies, misuse of digital technologies, and conflict. This is particularly alarming in light of 2023's record-breaking temperatures, which emphasise the immediate need for united action to tackle the climate crisis, or in the advent of artificial intelligence as a new and fast-evolving technological frontier with little or no regulatory guard rails.

The report highlights that deglobalisation is neither feasible nor realistic in today’s world and that economic interdependence remains high. It points out that no region is close to self-sufficiency, as all rely on imports from other regions of 25 per cent or more of at least one major type of goods and services.

The report emphasises how global interdependence is being reconfigured and calls for a new generation of global public goods. It proposes four areas for immediate action:

- planetary public goods, for climate stability, as we confront the unprecedented challenges of the Anthropocene;

- digital global public goods, for greater equity in harnessing new technologies for equitable human development;

- new and expanded financial mechanisms, including a novel track in international cooperation that complements humanitarian assistance and traditional development aid to low-income countries; and

- dialling down political polarization through new governance approaches focused on enhancing people's voices in deliberation and tackling misinformation.

In this context, multilateralism plays a fundamental role, the report argues, because bilateral engagements are not able to address the irreducibly planetary nature of the provision of global public goods.

More key data from the report

• In 2023, all 38 countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) achieved higher Human Development Index (HDI) scores compared to their levels in 2019.

• Among the 35 least developed countries (LDCs) that experienced a decline in their HDI in 2020 and/or 2021, more than half (18 countries) have not yet recovered to their human development levels of 2019.

• All developing regions have not met their anticipated HDI levels based on the trend before 2019. It appears they have shifted to a lower HDI trajectory, indicating potential permanent setbacks in future human development progress.

• The impact of human development losses is in sharp focus in Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Afghanistan’s HDI has been knocked back by a staggering ten years, while Ukraine’s HDI dropped to its lowest level since 2004.

• The report cites research indicating that countries with populist governments have lower GDP- growth rates. Fifteen years after a populist government assumes office, the GDP per capita is found to be 10 percent lower than it might under a non-populist government scenario.

Rich countries attain record human development, but half of the poorest have gone backwards

Uneven development progress is leaving the poorest behind, exacerbating inequality, and stoking political polarisation on a global scale. The result is a dangerous gridlock that must be urgently tackled through collective action, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The 2023-24 Human Development Report (HDR), titled 'Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarised world', reveals a troubling trend: the rebound in the global Human Development Index (HDI) – a summary measure reflecting a country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, education, and life expectancy – has been partial, incomplete, and unequal.

The HDI is projected to reach record highs in 2023 after steep declines during 2020 and 2021. But this progress is deeply uneven. Rich countries are experiencing record-high levels of human development while half of the world’s poorest countries remain below their pre-crisis level of progress.

Global inequalities are compounded by substantial economic concentration. As referenced in the report, almost 40 per cent of global trade in goods is concentrated in three or fewer countries; and in 2021 the market capitalisation of each of the three largest tech companies in the world surpassed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than 90 per cent of countries that year.

“The widening human development gap revealed by the report shows that the two-decade trend of steadily reducing inequalities between wealthy and poor nations is now in reverse," head of the UN Development Programme Achim Steiner said, "Despite our deeply interconnected global societies, we are falling short. We must leverage our interdependence as well as our capacities to address our shared and existential challenges and ensure people’s aspirations are met."

“This gridlock carries a significant human toll, he said, adding that the failure of collective action to advance action on climate change, digitalisation or poverty and inequality not only hinders human development but also worsens polarisation and further erodes trust in people and institutions worldwide.

The report argues that advancing international collective action is hindered by an emerging ‘democracy paradox’: while 9 in 10 people worldwide endorse democracy, over half of global survey respondents express support for leaders that may undermine it by bypassing fundamental rules of the democratic process, as per data analysed in the report. Half of people surveyed worldwide report having no or limited control over their lives, and over two-thirds believe they have little influence on their government’s decisions.

Political polarisation is also a growing concern with global repercussions. Along with a sense of powerlessness, report authors say, it is fuelling inward-turning policy approaches – starkly at odds with the global cooperation needed to address urgent issues like the decarbonisation of our economies, misuse of digital technologies, and conflict. This is particularly alarming in light of 2023's record-breaking temperatures, which emphasise the immediate need for united action to tackle the climate crisis, or in the advent of artificial intelligence as a new and fast-evolving technological frontier with little or no regulatory guard rails.

The report highlights that deglobalisation is neither feasible nor realistic in today’s world and that economic interdependence remains high. It points out that no region is close to self-sufficiency, as all rely on imports from other regions of 25 per cent or more of at least one major type of goods and services.

"In a world marked by increasing polarization and division, neglecting to invest in each other poses a serious threat to our wellbeing and security," Steiner said, adding that protectionist approaches cannot address the complex, interconnected challenges we face, including pandemic prevention, climate change, and digital regulation. "Our problems are intertwined, requiring equally interconnected solutions. By adopting an opportunity-driven agenda that emphasises the benefits of the energy transition and of artificial intelligence for human development, we have a chance to break through the current deadlock and reignite a commitment to a shared future."

The report emphasises how global interdependence is being reconfigured and calls for a new generation of global public goods. It proposes four areas for immediate action:

- planetary public goods, for climate stability, as we confront the unprecedented challenges of the Anthropocene;

- digital global public goods, for greater equity in harnessing new technologies for equitable human development;

- new and expanded financial mechanisms, including a novel track in international cooperation that complements humanitarian assistance and traditional development aid to low-income countries; and

- dialling down political polarisation through new governance approaches focused on enhancing people's voices in deliberation and tackling misinformation.

In this context, multilateralism plays a fundamental role, the report argues, because bilateral engagements are not able to address the irreducibly planetary nature of the provision of global public goods.

UNDP urges swift action and new directions to advance Asia-Pacific's Human Development

The Asia-Pacific region is lurching towards an era of unmet aspirations, worsening inequalities, and a steady erosion of democratic spaces. Rising global tensions, new technologies, growing polarisation, and existential threats linked to climate change threaten to disrupt improvements in well-being the region has seen in past decades, according to a new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The 2024 Asia-Pacific Human Development Report, launched today, paints a qualified picture of long-term progress, but also persistent disparity and widespread disruption, foreseeing a turbulent development landscape and urgently calling for new directions to boost human development.

Titled Making our Future: new directions for Human Development in Asia and the Pacific, "that unmet aspirations, heightened human insecurity, and a potentially more turbulent future create an urgent need for change," the report warns that the region faces three converging ‘risk clusters’, ranging from existential threats due to climate change and future pandemics, economic headwinds from shifting globalisation patterns and automation, and a flagging pace of reform due to diminishing democratic spaces, rising populism, and polarisation.

While the region will account for two-thirds of global economic growth this year, income and wealth disparities are worsening, particularly in South Asia, where the wealthiest 10 per cent control over half of total income. 

More than 185 million people continue to live in extreme poverty – earning below $2.15 a day – a number that is expected to climb higher following the economic shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic, the report reads.

“The report underscores that to overcome existing challenges, we must prioritise investments in human development, with an understanding that each nation will tailor its own pathways to do so,” said UN assistant secretary-general and UNDP’s regional director for Asia and the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja. “By fostering a people-first policy and smart growth strategies that put a high value on natural assets, we can pave the way for a future that is not only more secure and peaceful but also sustainable and prosperous for many millions more."

To bring about that change the Report calls for three new directions in human development: to put people at the heart of development, to recalibrate growth strategies to generate more jobs and respect the environment, and to focus relentlessly on the politics of reform and the science of delivery to turn ideas into practice.

It also provides a panoramic view of how in an uncertain future, countries can revitalize development strategies to close existing inequality gaps and reduce human insecurity.

A people-centered strategy must start by expanding choice for everyone by, among other things, tackling structural exclusion, upholding human dignity, and building capability. Tackling structural exclusion is not only the ‘right thing to do,’ it could also produce large economic benefits. Promoting women's equality alone could boost the region's collective annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $4.5 trillion by 2025, the report further reads.

With external market conditions becoming more competitive, a razor-sharp focus on competitiveness and diversification is essential. The Report also highlights new areas of economic opportunity in the low carbon ‘green economy’ and in technologies, and the region’s rich marine resources that can be optimized and sustained through new technology and investment as part of the blue economy, which is especially important for Small Island Developing States.

"The call for economic growth should be louder, not quieter, as growth remains essential for human development,” UNDP’s chief economist for Asia and the Pacific, and the principal author of the Report, Philip Schellekens said, adding that facing growing headwinds to growth and job creation and the prospect of further disruption, it is time to recalibrate both export-led and domestically oriented growth strategies.

The region’s large informal workforce—about 1.3 billion people—is being left behind, with many workers trapped in low-quality jobs because the formal sector has failed to offer decent employment opportunities. And the region has seen a steady reversal in democratic practices, to a degree last seen in the late 1970s, the report notes, with the pandemic enabling governments to further tighten restrictions on civil liberties. 

To chart a new course, governments would need to be future fit to combat the challenges to come.  It unpacks how a greater focus on making change happen would be rooted in leadership and governance that is more anticipatory, more adaptable, and more agile.

UNDP is the leading United Nations organisation fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Links between migration and sustainable development discussed

Students today discussed on interlinkages between migration and sustainable development at an interactive event organised jointly by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to mark the SDGs Action Week 2021.

"The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises that migration, if managed well, can be a powerful driver of sustainable development to both the countries of origin and host,” said the UN resident coordinator for Nepal Sara Nyanti, addressing the event.

"Remittances inflow to Nepal contributes equal to nearly 30 per cent of the country’s GDP," she said, adding that it is crucial that all play role in making Nepali migration work for sustainable development.

The event was organised with the aim to sensitise and bring the young people into discussion about how migrant youths and well-governed migration contribute to achieve the sustainable development goals.

"Nepalis are working, studying, or living in over 100 countries across the world," IOM Nepal chief of mission Lorena Lando said addressing the inaugural session. "Over a million Nepalis have returned home since the pandemic hit the country in 2020 - many of them empty-handed," she said, adding that an IOM study conducted in September 2020 suggests that 50 per cent of the returned migrants desired for remigration citing lack of livelihood opportunities and poverty at home. "IOM sees an urgent need to set up an integrated rights-based and gender-responsive sustainable socio-economic reintegration package for the returnee communities."

Migration experts from IOM’s regional office in Bangkok and Headquarters in Geneva were among the presenters at the event, which was organised in collaboration with Samata School, an educational foundation serving the nation by providing education in much lower fee-structure with motto of 'Education for All'.

The programme is part of the UN Nepal initiative to bring together stakeholders to reinforce shared commitment between partners across government, civil society, business, academia, and the UN system to accelerate action on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) during an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the SDGs, called SDGs Action Week from September 17 to 28.

The global theme for the year is #TurnItAround for a healthy, green and just recovery and keep the promise of the SDGs.

ADB approves $ 165 million loan to Nepal to procure vaccines against Covid-19

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a loan of $165 million for Nepal to purchase safe and effective vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The project will support the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan in Nepal by procuring an estimated 15.9 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, which will benefit about 6.8 million Nepalis, according to a press note issued by the ADB today.

|ADB’s support will help Nepal procure much-needed Covid-19 vaccines to protect its citizens from the further spread of this disease,” said ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa. "It is essential that Covid-19 vaccines are quickly purchased and administered to help get the economy back on track by enabling the restoration of livelihoods and economic activities, as well as the resumption of educational and human development pursuits."

The project is financed by ADB’s $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility launched in December 2020 to offer rapid and equitable vaccine-related support to ADB developing member countries. "Vaccines eligible for financing must meet at least one of the APVAX eligibility criteria: the vaccine has been selected for procurement through the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) mechanism; the vaccine has been prequalified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or WHO emergency use listing; or the vaccine has received regular or emergency licensure or authorisation by a Stringent Regulatory Authority," reads the press note.

In addition to this project, ADB’s ongoing technical assistance grants will support the strengthening of the vaccine delivery system, communication, and community engagement to raise awareness on the risks of Covid-19 and the benefits of vaccination. The government is mobilising female community health volunteers to disseminate information among marginalised communities to raise awareness. At least one female health worker or volunteer will support the effort in every vaccination site or outreach center, it adds.

ADB closely collaborates with other partners, like the World Bank, COVAX, WHO, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in supporting Nepal in its efforts to vaccinate its people as soon as possible, the press note reads, adding that the project will complement the government’s broader response through its $1.2 billion National Relief Programme, which consists of social protection, health care, and economic relief measures. "In May 2020, ADB provided support to the programme through a $250 million concessional loan.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.

Private sector suggests postponement graduation from LDC

The private sector has asked the government to postpone the graduation of Nepal to the Developing Country (DC) status from the current Least Developed Country (LDC) status.

Submitting a written recommendation to the Ministry of industry, Commerce and Supplies today, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) president Shekhar Golchha said that Nepal should not hurry to graduate from LDC. If Nepal graduates from LDC, it will not be able to enjoy the benefits including zero tariff and grants from the development partners. The developing country will get loan, and it will also be exempted from zero tariff, provided for LDCs by India, China, US and the EU. “Nepal will also not receive any development grants, if it graduates,” he said,” asking the government not to hurry.

Earlier too, Nepal had postponed its graduation from LDC till 2021, though the country had met two of the three criterion that are necessary to graduate to graduate from LDC. Nepal had fulfilled two criterion – Human Assets Index (HAI) and Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) – in 2015, which was enough for graduation. The HAI should be 66 or above, EVI 32 and below, and per capita income should be $1,222. Nepal’s HAI and EVI scores stood at 68.7 and 26.8, respectively, which was enough for graduation from LDC, though the per capita income was less. But writing a letter to UNDP, Nepal asked to postpone its graduation as the country wanted to graduate on the basis of per capita income, which is thought to be more sustainable graduation. 

Any country meeting two of the three criterion – HVI, EVI and per capita income – could be graduated from LDC, or a country can graduate, fulfilling only one criteria, if it has $2,444 per capita income.  Nepal’s per capita income currently hovers around $1,000 but in the changed context of coronavirus pandemic, there is a doubt that the per capita income even remains same, as some 6 million Nepalis lost their employment, during the lockdown imposed by the government – from March 24 for 120 days – and subsequent prohibitory orders aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.

According to the latest UNCTAD report on LDCs too, the world economic crisis brought by the Covid-19 pandemic may affect the previously planned graduation of LDCs that is the exit of some countries from the group of LDCs. 

The LDCs that have better weathered the Covid-19 pandemic from a health policy perspective are those with a broader and more sophisticated base of productive capacities in their economy, the UNCTAD report reads, adding that more generally, the same reasoning also applies to their capacity to respond to other shocks like medical, economic or natural disasters. “Countries that have been able to develop a denser and more diversified fabric of productive capacities have shown greater resilience and have been better prepared to weather different types of shocks.”

The Covid-19 pandemic is estimated to contract the GDP per capita LDCs by 2.6 per cent in 2020 from already low levels, as these countries are forecast to experience their worst economic performance in 30 years, according to the UNCTAD report. “At least 43 out of the 47 LDCs will likely experience a fall in their average income,” it reads, adding that extreme poverty in LDCs is projected to expand by 32 million in 2020 to reach 377 million people. “The poverty rate will rise from 32.5 per cent to 35.7 per cent in 2020, due to the Covid-19-induced economic crisis.”

Meeting the criterion is not only enough for any LDC to graduate, but it also has to prepare a transition plan, so that it keeps sailing above, otherwise, the country could again demoted to LDC. Nepal also has to prepare a transition strategy as it will lose some preferential treatment.

According to a report prepared by the National Planning Commission (NPC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also, the Covid-19 pandemic may have profound impacts on the graduation criteria, with new risks of rising trade and export costs impacting external markets, and the need for more concessional aid, including debt relief, to overcome multiple crises. With new impact analysis, Nepal also need to bring a transitional strategy.

Graduation from LDC status becomes effective three years after the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) takes note of the recommendation made by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESC) to graduate a country. Though, the government is in hurry to graduate Nepal, Nepal’s graduation will be effective in 2024, if the committee recommends graduation at its next triennial review in 2021. 

Human progress needs to be considered with environmental protection: UNDP

 The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has underscored the need for redefining human progress that takes into account countries’ carbon dioxide emissions and material footprint on top of traditionally used parameters of human development.

Unveiling the Global Human Development Report (HDR) 2020 today, the UNDP has expressed its concern over widening inequality and environmental challenges that the world is facing while moving forward to achieve human progress. The Covid-19 pandemic is the latest crisis facing the world, but unless humans release their grip on nature, it won’t be the last, according to the report.

“Humans wield more power over the planet than ever before,” UNDP administrator Achim Steiner said, adding that in the wake of Covid-19, record-breaking temperatures and spiraling inequality, it is time to use that power to redefine what is meant by progress, where the carbon and consumption footprints are no longer hidden.

Till the date, the Human Development Index (HDI) considers a nation’s health, education, and standards of living to mark as human progress. But the additional elements – a country’s carbon dioxide emissions and its material footprint – shows how the global development landscape would change if both the wellbeing of people and also the planet were central to defining humanity’s progress.

Currently, the Covid-19 has grappled the world. This has led to more than 50 countries dropping out of the very high human development group, reflecting their dependence on fossil fuels and material footprint. “This shows that no country in the world has yet achieved very high human development without putting immense strain on the planet,” the report reads.

The UNDP has mentioned that it has been projected by 2100, the poorest countries in the world could experience up to 100 more days of extreme weather due to climate change each year, a number that could be cut in half if the Paris Agreement on climate change is fully implemented. “And yet fossil fuels are still being subsidized: the full cost to societies of publicly financed subsidies for fossil fuels – including indirect costs – is estimated at over $5 trillion a year, or 6.5 per cent of global GDP,” the UNDP cited a report published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Global Human Development Report is a flagship publication of the UNDP. Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali launched the report in Nepal, amid a programme.

“For three decades, Human Development Reports have fundamentally shaped the ideas and policy discourse on alternative assessment of development and wellbeing,” he said, awhile launching the report in Kathmandu. “The criteria used for measuring human development have been the basis for advancing social development agenda, including in Nepal,” he said, adding that the contents of the HDR reports have served as useful policy resources for many countries. “Successive human development reports since 1990 have highlighted critical dimensions of human progress and sustainable development, thereby informing, encouraging and assisting the governments and stakeholders to address the impediments in the way of enlarging choices.”

“Nepal strongly supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the call to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees,” he said thanking Resident Representative of UNDP in Nepal Ayshanie Labe for the launching ceremony.

Reminding Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s address at the climate ambition summit, where he outlined the roadmap for Nepal’s ambition towards a net-zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050, Gyawali said that Nepal submitted it’s updated, more ambitious and progressive Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC-2020). “Nepal has prioritised producing clean and renewable energy as well as promoting e-mobility, low carbon infrastructure and ecotourism.”

By 2030, Nepal aims to maintain 45 per cent of the country’s land under forest cover and aims to extend protected area from 23 per cent to 30 per cent and preserve biodiversity. 

While implementing the NDC, Nepal remains committed to prioritise the issue of gender equality and social inclusion and ensure full, equal and meaningful participation of women, children, youth, indigenous peoples and marginalized communities in all stages of the implementation process.

Nepal loses Rs 2,099 million due to disaster each year

 Nepal – on an average – loses 333 lives and property worth over $17.24 million (Rs 2,099 million) each year to extreme climate events, according to a new report from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the United National Development Programme (UNDP) in Nepal.

“Since 1977, Nepal has experienced 26 glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) events of which 14 originated in the country,” it reads, adding that with the changing climate resulting in increasing rate of glacial melt, GLOF remains an ever-present threat for Nepal. 

The report from ICIMOD and UNDP in Nepal has also identified 47 potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs) within the Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali river basins of Nepal, the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and India. These glacial lakes are at risk of breaching, which would result in GLOFs. “The GLOFs are a prominent water-induced hazard in Nepal and other mountainous countries in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), and occur when melting glaciers create reservoirs of water that can suddenly burst leading to floods downstream,” it reads.

The inventory of glacial lakes and identification of potentially dangerous glacial lakes, released today, lists 25 glacial lakes in China, 21 in Nepal, and one in India, which need to be closely monitored to reduce the vulnerability of mountain people and settlements downstream in the three river basins. “Of the 47 identified potentially dangerous glacial lakes, some 42 are within the Koshi basin making it the river basin with the highest risk,” the report reads, adding that the Gandaki and Karnali basins have three and two such lakes, respectively.

ICIMOD and its partners have been involved in preparing and updating databases of glacial lakes and the identification of potentially dangerous glacial lakes in the HKH since the early 2000s. The report builds on a comprehensive study undertaken by ICIMOD in 2011.

In 2016, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP, Nepal successfully lowered the water levels in Imja Tsho and installed community-based early warning and response systems as a mitigative climate action.

Periodically updated and standardised glacial lake inventories like this one provide crucial information for evidence-based planning of tailored mitigation measures to address future GLOF risks. “This science based report gives an alarm about the potentially dangerous glacier lakes,” director general at the ICIMOD Dr David Molden said adding that the investments are needed to reduce the risk, and climate action is needed to limit global warming.

“Glaciers are part of global heritage, managing that is a transboundary issue and a collective responsibility so the decisions need to be made together,” UNDP Resident Representative for Nepal Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labe said, while launching the report. “We are sure that these studies can connect scientists, researchers and climate activists together and thrust for strategic decisions that reconcile the people with Nature,” she said, adding that making climate finance a reality is a global promise, but in order to access climate finance, particularly for issues like glacial lakes, one need robust scientific studies and that's why we need to invest.”

“You need data, research and analysis, experts and instructions. Countries like Nepal have to move fast to compete for less and less available climate funding,” said Medagangoda-Labe. “We hope that a study like this will give the country additional chances.”

Nepal receives Rs 3.29 billion from GCF

 Nepal is getting Rs 3.29 billion funding from Green Climate Fund (GCF) to support climate activities.

The 26th board meeting of the GCF in Sangdo of South Korea yesterday approved Nepal’s proposal for the project ‘Improving Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Communities and Ecosystems in the Gandaki River Basin, Nepal’, according to Ministry of Forest and Environment.

“With the approval of the project, Nepal will get a financial grant of $27.4 million (over Rs 3.29 billion) for implementing the five-year project,” the ministry informed, adding that the project aims at improving the climate resilience of nearly 1.9 million people from 198,016 vulnerable households of the Gandaki River Basin. “The basin falls in 19 districts of three provinces – Bangamti Province (five districts), Gandaki Province (eleven districts) and Province 5 (three districts).”

These districts cover low-lying districts of Nawalparasi and Chitwan to the ones in the high mountains like Mustang and Manang.

The project will be implemented jointly by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) –a GCF accredited entity – and the Ministry of Forest and Environment. The IUCN will work on other components like capacity building, whereas the Forest Ministry will be the lead agency for implementing the project.

The main goal of the project is to protect the ecosystem and enhance communities’ livelihood through nature-based solutions. Watershed management, river conservation, protecting ecosystem services and improving livelihood are the major priorities. Through the project, the government is expected to mainstream the concept that river basins cannot be confined within the political boundary.

“The project is designed to improve the resilience of the communities and ecosystems in the basin area, according to the project,” the ministry claimed, adding that it is the second significant funding Nepal has received within a year from the GCF. “Last year in November, the 24th GCF board meeting had approved the first-ever funding proposal of Nepal.”

Earlier this year, Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) – the first and only GCF accredited entity – also signed a contract with GCF for seeking climate finance for Nepal’s climate actions. The AEPC received GCF accreditation in February 2019. The GCF accreditation status means the entity becomes eligible for claiming and accessing financial support of up to $50 million as its climate action partner.

Likewise, Nepal’s other climate finance support of $24 million under the Strategic Climate Fund from the World Bank was approved last month for implementing the Forest for Prosperity Project.

Two more climate change-related projects worth $7 million each from the Global Environment Facility were approved in August 2019 and April 2020. 

For the project, Building Resilient Churia Region in Nepal (BRCRN), to be implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Nepal was awarded $39.3million in grant.

Nepal managed to receive the grant out of a tough and competitive process. According to the GCF, a Independent Technical Advisory Panel of the GCF sends queries regarding the project proposals which we have to respond. Then, there are also inquiries during the board meeting, before the project is approved.

For accessing funds from the GCF, a global platform that helps countries in their efforts to fight climate change by investing in low-emission and climate-resilient development, WWF Nepal and UNDP Nepal have also been working on their project proposals.

Temporary basic income to protect the world's poorest people could slow the surge in Covid-19 cases: UNDP

The immediate introduction of a Temporary Basic Income (TBI) for the world’s poorest people could slow the current surge in Covid-19 cases by enabling nearly three billion people to stay at home, according to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report released today.
The report, ‘Temporary Basic Income: Protecting Poor and Vulnerable People in Developing Countries,’ estimates that it would cost from $199 billion per month to provide a time-bound, guaranteed basic income to the 2.7 billion people living below or just above the poverty line in 132 developing countries.
The report concludes that the measure is feasible and urgently needed, with the pandemic now spreading at a rate of more than 1.5 million new cases per week, particularly in developing countries, where seven out of ten workers make a living through informal markets and cannot earn money, if they are at home.
Many of the huge numbers of people not covered by social insurance programmes are informal workers, low-waged, women and young people, refugees and migrants, and people with disabilities; and they are the ones hardest hit by this crisis. UNDP has carried out assessments on the socio-economic effects of Covid-19 in more than 60 countries in the past few months and the evidence shows that workers, who are not covered by social protection cannot stay at home without an income.
A Temporary Basic Income (TBI) would give them the means to buy food and pay for health and education expenses. It is also financially within reach: a six-month Temporary Basic Income, for example, would require just 12 per cent of the total financial response to Covid-19 expected in 2020, or the equivalent of one-third of what developing countries owe in external debt payments in 2020.
“Unprecedented times call for unprecedented social and economic measures,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said, adding that introducing a TBI for the world’s poorest people has emerged as one option. “This might have seemed impossible just a few months ago.”
“Bailouts and recovery plans cannot only focus on big markets and big business, he said. “A Temporary Basic Income might enable governments to give people in lockdown a financial lifeline, inject cash back into local economies to help keep small businesses afloat, and slow the devastating spread of Covid-19.”
A Temporary Basic Income is not a silver bullet solution to the economic hardship this pandemic has brought, however, protecting jobs, expanding support to micro, small and medium enterprises, and using digital solutions to identify and access people who are excluded, are all measures that countries can take.
One way for countries to pay for a Temporary Basic Income would be to repurpose the funds they would use this year to service their debt. Developing and emerging economies will spend $3.1 trillion in debt repayment this year, according to official data. A comprehensive debt standstill for all developing countries, as called for by the UN secretary-general, would allow countries to temporarily repurpose these funds into emergency measures to combat the effects of the Covid-19 crisis.
Several countries have already taken steps to introduce Temporary Basic Incomes, the UNDP report reads, adding that the government of Togo has distributed over $19.5 million in monthly financial aid to over 12 per cent of the population through its cash transfer programme, mostly to women, who work in the informal sector. “Spain recently approved a monthly budget of €250 million to top up the incomes of 850,000 vulnerable families and 2.3 million individuals up to a minimum threshold.”
Covid-19 has exacerbated existing global and national inequalities and has created new disparities that are hitting the most vulnerable people the hardest. With up to 100 million more people being pushed into extreme poverty in 2020, some 1.4 billion children affected by school closures, and record-level unemployment and loss of livelihoods, UNDP predicts that global human development is on course to decline this year for the first time since the concept was introduced.
UNDP is the socio-economic lead for the UN system on Covid-19 recovery and is implementing social and economic recovery strategies in countries across the world.

ADB retains top spot in aid transparency index, MCC also transparent

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) retained its first place ranking in the 2020 Aid Transparency Index (ATI), an independent measurement of aid transparency released today at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC.
In the index, spearheaded by British nongovernment organization Publish What You Fund, ADB’s sovereign portfolio is ranked in the ‘very good’ transparency category of the ATI with the top score of 98. “I take great pride in ADB’s first position in an index that is playing a key role in helping to promote greater transparency and openness among international agencies,” ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa said, adding that ADB has continuously worked to improve the disclosure of its aid data in terms of quality and scope. “Our top ranking reflects the dedication of staff, across the organisation, to ensure adherence to aid transparency standards.”
This is the second time that ADB ranked No 1 in the ATI, which had its pilot run in 2011. The 2020 Index is the seventh full Index report to monitor and encourage progress toward aid transparency. Data collection was carried out from December 2019 to April 2020, and focused on 35 indicators, grouped into five components: finance and budgets, joining up development data, organizational planning and commitments, project attributes and performance. The Index groups donors into five categories based on their overall scores (out of 100).
Ten other organisations among the 47 ranked were this year classified in the ‘very good’ category with a score of at least 80 per cent – the World Bank-International Development Association (WB-IDA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Development Bank–Sovereign portfolio, the Inter-American Development Bank, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNCF), the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the Global Fund, UK Department for International Development, the Canada Global Affairs, and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.
The 2020 Aid Transparency Index reveals an improvement in overall transparency among the world’s major aid agencies. Development partners are publishing more, better quality data in the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) Standard, according to the publishers. All of the development partners, except those in the ‘very poor’ category, are publishing IATI data about their activities and policies, meaning their information is open, timely, comparable and centralised, meeting the international standard for aid transparency.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.

UNDP starts livelihoods recovery programme for those hard-hit by Covid-19

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has started a livelihoods recovery programme to help the most vulnerable people cope with the Covid-19 pandemic in Nepal.
In the first phase of the programme – to be implemented jointly with the local governments – over 2,000 women and men, especially the poor, vulnerable and the most-affected daily wage earners and migrant workers, will get short-term employment though small-scale community and tourism infrastructure projects in 11 of the most affected municipalities in Sudur Paschim, Karnali, Gandaki and Bagmati, according to a press note issued by the UNDP Nepal.
“In addition to a daily wage, workers will be offered the opportunity to access skills training and technology support aimed at supporting the establishment of potentially up to 600 micro-enterprises to generate longer term livelihood opportunities in these areas,” the press note reads, adding that in Gandaki, workers will be engaged to clean up trekking trails and plant trees. “The same programme will provide short-term employment opportunities through projects focusing on the rehabilitation, construction, or improvement of community infrastructure, such as irrigation canals, drinking water system, and rural roads.”
Up to 23 such schemes are planned, which will be implemented under the leadership of user groups from these same communities, according to the UNDP. “These schemes aim to provide short-term employment to over 1,200 hardest-hit people.”
The activities are part of UNDP’s socio-economic recovery response, which will be funded with $1.5 million of UNDP’s own resources. Responding to a call from the government, UNDP is also repurposing previously launched projects toward the broader Covid response in consultation with national implementing partners. In some instances, local municipalities are expected to co-finance these projects, in the spirit of building on their ongoing partnership with UNDP, according to the press note. “Some of the planned activities have begun in earnest.”
The Sadhikhola Virkuna irrigation project in Kakani Rural Municipality-6, started last week and is expected to engage up to 50 people, most of them farmers. The canal will irrigate 21 hectares of agricultural land (435 ropanies) directly benefiting 75 households. Likewise, projects have started at Palungtar Municipality in Gorkha, Melamchi Municipality and Helambu Rural Municipality in Sindhupalchowk and Jiri Municipality in Dolakha, each engaging over 300 people.

ADB, ESCAP discuss stepping up cooperation to help Asia-Pacific in addressing Covid-19 crisis

Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Masatsugu Asakawa and United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) executive secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana today discussed enhancing cooperation to help the region as it addresses the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“ESCAP played a key role in the establishment of ADB and our two organisations have a long history of close partnership,” Asakawa said, adding that the continued cooperation is now more important than ever. “We must seek further synergies by combining our knowledge, networks, and finance to help developing Asia address health, social, and economic crises caused by Covid-19.”
“Supporting our member countries build back better after Covid-19 lies at the heart of both our agendas,” Alisjahbana said, adding that she is looking forward to deepening the cooperation to get this region’s economies and societies back on their feet in a way that protects our region’s precious environmental resources – very much including our oceans.
ADB and ESCAP launched with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) a joint report on fast-tracking the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia-Pacific, at the 7th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in May. The forum concluded that the future of the region will be dictated by how countries respond to the pandemic and how well these responses are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The two organisations also organise the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum and collaborate across many other areas, such as the Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and on the Asia Pacific Climate Week. ADB is looking to expand cooperation with ESCAP on areas including gender inequality, climate change, ocean pollution, and boosting quality infrastructure.
ESCAP recently announced a framework of support to member states as they respond to the socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The framework centers on three streams of work, (i) supporting sustainable and inclusive economic recovery through fiscal and monetary stimuli in line with the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement; (ii) protecting and investing in people and enhancing resilience of societies and communities, especially women and vulnerable groups of population; and (iii) restoring and building resilience in supply chains through regional and subegional coordination on trade, investment, transport and digital  connectivity and supporting small and medium enterprises.
The framework also encourages countries to seize the opportunity to protect the environment by reducing pollution, supporting decarbonisation and energy efficiency, and combating climate change.
ESCAP serves as the UN regional hub promoting cooperation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. The largest regional intergovernmental platform with 53 member states and 9 associate members, ESCAP offers countries sound analytical products, policy advisory services, capacity building and technical assistance to support countries’ sustainable and inclusive development ambitions.

Provincial leaders commit to implement findings of federalism stocktaking report

The Chief Ministers of five provinces expressed appreciation of the process and agreement of the findings and recommendations of the Federalism Capacity Needs Assessment (FCNA) at a special briefing event on the FCNA held today.
The briefing – jointly organised by the finance ministry amd ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration – was delivered by the country manager of the World Bank in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nepal and in the presence of international development partners.
“Nepal’s transition to federalism significantly increases the need to develop capacity at all levels of the government and to modernise the governance system and institutional framework as an ongoing process,” stated finance minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, on the occasion.
“This will help in taking on new service delivery responsibilities as required in the federal set-up, and also meet growing demand for better public services,” he said, adding that the FCNA is an assessment of Nepal’s capacity needs in the provincial and local governments to implement federalism, along with a roadmap of priorities for all three levels of government over the short and medium terms.
Led by the government with the support of the World Bank and UNDP, the FCNA was jointly undertaken by the Georgia State University and Nepal Administrative Staff College, which was initiated in September 2018 and completed in December 2019. The assessment covered the federal government, seven provincial governments and a representative sample of 115 local governments using informant interviews, desk reviews and questionnaires, and focused on three main elements of capacity: organisational, institutional and regulatory, and physical infrastructure.
“Nepal has made a historic move from a unitary form of government to a federal system that builds accountability of three levels of the government,” minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration Hridayesh Tripathi said, adding that the success of federalism in Nepal implies success in all three levels of government which requires that they work together as one in meeting the aspirations of the people.
The FCNA identifies measurable progress since the adoption of the federal constitution in 2015 with the set up of key institutional structures, strengthening of the regulatory environment and strong initial progress in the adjustment of personnel in all levels of the government. Provincial and local governments account for about 34 per cent of total national expenditure, suggesting strong government acknowledgment of the importance of fiscal federalism. However, the FCNA notes that gaps still exist between the needs and existing capacity at all levels of government to manage new functions.
During the interaction, chief ministers, who attended the meeting expressed their views that relate to the need for infrastructure building, technical support in better planning and execution of projects, capacity building of human resources both at the provincial and local levels, and better coordination within provincial governments and with the federal government. They also appreciated the cooperation from development partners to support the implementation of federalism and welcomed the plan of dissemination of the FCNA in two provinces.
The assessment calls for a strategic approach to capacity building for federalism, including the need to prioritize measures to strengthen the foundations for intergovernmental and inter-ministerial coordination and monitoring of the implementation of federalism. The FCNA recommends a roadmap essential to help improve Nepal’s capacity readiness for federalism.
The FCNA was first disseminated at the federal level in December 2019. The report dissemination process, which seeks to mainstream findings and recommendations in all three levels of the government, will be completed by disseminations organised for provincial and local government officials and other stakeholders within the first quarter of 2020.
“The FCNA is a dynamic document that is intended to facilitate discussions on the way forward,” World Bank country manager for Nepal Faris H Hadad-Zervos said, adding that identifying the capacity needs for federalism is just one part of the equation. “The other and important part is to operationalise the FCNA findings and recommendations.”
“We are committed to support this process and the broader implementation of federalism in Nepal,” he added.
“It is all about bringing basic facilities and services like education, drinking water, food, basic health and roads faster to those really in isolated places,” UNDP resident representative Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé said, adding that it is also about having the will and expertise to work in a different way. “We hope the FCNA will give the evidences for a strong foundation on which we the partners can rally to complement each other and deliver on the commitment.”

Roadmap recommended improvement in Nepal’s capacity readiness for federalism

Federalism is taking root in Nepal with measurable progress in institutional and regulatory environments for federalism, according to a government report.
The Federalism Capacity Needs Assessment (FCNA) – an assessment of Nepal’s capacity needs focusing on the provincial and local governments to implement federalism – is released by Finance Ministry and Federal Affairs Ministry.
The report – conducted by the Georgia State University and Nepal Administrative Staff College in 2018 and 2019 – is led by the government with the support of the World Bank (WB) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The assessment report covers the federal government, seven provincial governments and 115 local governments using informant interviews, desk reviews and questionnaires, and focused on three main elements of capacity: organisational, institutional and regulatory, and physical infrastructure.
“The transition to federalism is profound and requires years to unfold,”finance secretary Dr Rajan Khanal said, addressing the report launching ceremony.
“The report, in this regard, provides an important baseline in Nepal’s federalism implementation and capacity requirements to guide the success of federalism for the benefit of the people of Nepal,” he added.
The report also identifies measurable progress since the adoption of the federal constitution in 2015 with the set up of key institutional structures, strengthening of the regulatory environment and strong initial progress in the adjustment of personnel in all levels of the government. Within the first two years of the operation, provincial and local governments have accounted for about 34 per cent of the national budget significantly boosting their fiscal responsibility, the report reads noting that while initial progress is significant, gaps still exist between the needs and existing capacity at all levels of government to manage new functions. “The assessment calls for a strategic approach to capacity building for federalism, including the need to prioritise measures to strengthen the foundations for intergovernmental and inter-ministerial coordination and monitoring of the implementation of federalism.”
According to federal affairs secretary Yadav Prasad Koirala, the report is a living document. “I will like to highlight the need to implement the most urgent, relevant and feasible recommendations as prescribed by the assessment on a priority basis.”
The report also recommends a roadmap to help improve Nepal’s capacity readiness for federalism. Developed through a consultative process with all stakeholders under the leadership of the government, the roadmap can help deliver on common objectives and improve coherence and coordination among the three levels of the government. The roadmap will not only articulate reform priorities and sequencing of actions, but also help to improve implementation of the reform process for the successful implementation of federalism.”
Likewise, World Bank country manager for Nepal Faris Hadad-Zervos, on the occasion, said that Nepal’s success with federalism will be measured by not only how well the government manages the challenges associated with the transition to federalism but also by the quality of services provided to citizens. “The roadmap recommended by the FCNA can, in effect, add value in the implementation of federalism and help smooth out the transition.”
“Strong institutional arrangement for capacity building at the provincial and local levels is key to supporting Nepal’s transition to federalism,” UNDP Resident Representative AyshanieMedagangoda-Labé said addressing the report launching ceremony. “The findings and recommendations of the report will go a long way in guiding future courses in the implementation of Nepal’s federal form of governance.”

Human development in Nepal stagnates

Nepal’s HDI value for 2018 is 0.579 – which put the country in the medium human development category – positioning it at 147 out of 189 countries and territories – one rank up from last year’s 148 position, revealing that the country's status in human development almost remained stagnant. The rank is shared with Kenya. The report also reveals that Nepal has just maintained its position in the medium human development with the threshold of 0.55-0.69 points.
Nepal’s 2018 HDI of 0.579 is below the average of 0.634 for countries in the medium human development group and below the average of 0.642 for countries in South Asia. From South Asia, countries which are close to Nepal in 2018 HDI rank and to some extent in population size are Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which have HDIs ranked 170 and 71 respectively .
Between 1990 and 2018, Nepal’s HDI value increased from 0.380 to 0.579, an increase of 52.6 per cent. Between 1990 and 2018, Nepal’s life expectancy at birth increased by 16.1 years, mean years of schooling increased by 2.8 years and expected years of schooling increased by 4.7 years. Likewise, Nepal’s GNI per capita increased by about 130.5 per cent between 1990 and 2018, according to the report that was launched simultaneously from Kathmandu and seven provinces in Nepal today.
Despite global progress in tackling poverty, hunger and disease, a ‘new generation of inequalities’ indicates that many societies are not working as they should and Nepal is not an exception, according to a new human development report. “The old inequalities were based on access to health services and education whereas the new generation of inequalities is based on technology, education and the climate, according to the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) report.
“Previously, we talked about wealth as a major driver for inequality but now, countries like Nepal are in another inequality trap and that concerns technology and education,” finance minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said launching the report.
While South Asia was the fastest-growing region, with 46 per cent growth, in the 1990-2018 period, Nepal’s human development index (HDI) rose from 0.380 to 0.579, an increase of 52.6 per cent, the report reads, adding that people are living longer, on average, are more educated and have greater incomes. “For example, between 1990 and 2018, Nepal’s life expectancy at birth increased by 16.1 years to 70.5 years, mean years of schooling increased by 2.8 years and expected years of schooling increased by 4.7 years.”
Likewise, Nepal’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita also increased by about 130.5 per cent between 1990 ($1,192) and 2018 ($2,748). Nepal, however, is still below the average value of 0.634 for countries in the medium human development group and below the average of 0.642 for countries in South Asia. “Nepal lags behind most South Asian countries, ranking above Pakistan (152) and Afghanistan (170). But the report, which ranks countries on their average achievement in key dimensions of human development, like life expectancy, education and per capita income, reveals that Nepal trails behind Sri Lanka (71), the Maldives (104), India (129), Bhutan (134) and Bangladesh (135).
Despite progress in most human development indicators, the report also shows that Nepal has a poor Gender Inequality Index (GII) with a value of 0.476 – a huge gap between the HDI for men and women in the country – ranking it 115 out of 162 countries. The HDI for men is 0.612 while that for women is 0.549.
“The gender equality gap is so huge that if we started working to reducing the gap now, it will take us 202 years,” resident representative of the UNDP Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labe, said at the report launch. “There are also questions about whether the artificial intelligence era will further increase inequality,” she said, adding, “Yes, but the choice is in our hands.”
The report has also pointed out that prevailing inequality is threatening human development.
Likewise, some 33.5 per cent of parliamentary seats – in Nepal – are held by women, but just 29 per cent of adult women have reached at least a secondary level of education, compared to 44.2 per cent of males, according to the report. “For every 100,000 live births, 258 women die from pregnancy-related causes.”
But female participation in the labour market is 81.7 per cent, compared to 84.4 per cent for men.
Nepal’s HDI at 0.579 is a modest improvement but when the value is discounted for inequality, the index falls to 0.430, a loss of 25.8 per cent due to inequality in the distribution of the HDI dimension indices, the UNDP flagship report reads.
Likewise, in Nepal, some 34 per cent of the population – 9.96 million people – is multidimensionally poor while an additional 22.3 per cent is classified as vulnerable to multidimensional poverty (6.54 million people). Multidimensional poverty takes into account the various deprivations experienced by poor people in their daily lives like poor health and living standards, lack of education and living in areas that are environmentally hazardous.
The breadth of deprivation in Nepal – which is the average deprivation score experienced by people in multidimensional poverty – is 43.6 per cent. The Multidimensional Poverty Index, which is the share of the population that is multidimensionally poor, adjusted by the intensity of the deprivations, is 0.148, the report reads, adding that the multidimensional poverty with income poverty is measured by the percentage of the population living below $1.90 per day.
Norway, with HDI of 0.990, stands at first position, while Sri Lanka is ranked 71st among 189 countries.