Valley
Nepal to discuss rebuilding drive at UN
Nepal will hold discussions with international stakeholders on post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation initiative on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York this week.Nepal will hold discussions with international stakeholders on post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation initiative on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York this week.
Chief Executive of the National Reconstruction Authority Sushil Gyewali, who left for New York on Tuesday, will make a presentation at the meeting where delegates from several countries, regional institutions and multilateral donor agencies, among others, will be in attendance.
According to the NRA, Gyewali will highlight Nepal’s experience as well as rebuilding action plan during the session titled ‘Post Disaster Needs, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Plan’.
“I am hopeful that this event will be beneficial in sharing Nepal’s experience, learning from others and raise funds and other necessary support from the international community,” Gyewali said during a press briefing before his departure. He added that discussions would also be held on Nepal’s achievement in the rebuilding process and financial needs.
According to the NRA, Nepal still needs Rs600 billion to rebuild the structures destroyed in the 2015 earthquake. During a meeting with officials from the International Monitory Fund last week, Gyewali had said Rs336 billion needed to be used within the current fiscal year.
As per the NRA projection in 2016, the country needs Rs938 billion to carry out the reconstruction works. Though several countries and donor agencies had pledged support to Nepal’s reconstruction drive at an international conference hosted in the immediate aftermath of the quake that killed nearly 9,000 people, such pledges have not turned into actual investment. Out of Rs410 billion that the international community had extended to Nepal, Rs67 billion was spent on immediate rescue operation and relief works. Of the remaining Rs343 billion, the NRA has signed agreement worth Rs262 billion for reconstruction projects and is making plans for their implementation in the related sub-sectors.
The authority has stated that the session is being jointly hosted by the United Nations, European Union and World Bank. Gyewali is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with top officials of the UN and the World Bank where he will be lobbying for international support in the ongoing reconstruction drive.