Kathmandu, 11 Sep: The international community has pledged to stand with Nepal and provide necessary assistance to help heal the wounds caused by the devastating flood that struck the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Bhadra 10 (August 26).
Following the extensive damage caused by the Bhotekoshi flood, Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle and Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary jointly wrote to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage on Bhadra 15, calling for emergency compensation based on climate justice to address the losses and damages suffered by Nepal.
In response to the letter, the Fund’s two Co-Chairs, Camila Minerva Rodríguez Tavares and Georg Bösting, expressed their commitment to closely monitor Nepal’s situation and provide necessary support.
Addressing Finance Minister Wagle and Minister Chaudhary, the Co-Chairs said the Fund is taking Nepal’s situation seriously and believes that immediate assistance should be considered in response to the disaster. Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, Nepal’s alternate representative on the Fund’s Board, said the Fund had responded promptly to the joint appeal made by the two ministers.
Dr. Dhakal was nominated as Nepal’s alternate member of the Fund’s Board following the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“Two ministers from Nepal had written to the Fund seeking assistance. The Fund has expressed its solidarity with Nepal’s suffering and indicated that the matter will be addressed by convening a Board meeting as soon as possible. The Board may take a decision on the issue at its upcoming meeting,” Dr. Dhakal said.
He added, “For a least developed country like Nepal, which is facing a natural disaster, the Fund has now established a basis for addressing this event. The prompt response from the Fund is a positive development.”
In its letter, the Fund expressed deep sympathy to the people of Nepal over the loss and damage caused by the Bhotekoshi flood. The Co-Chairs also noted that the Fund’s Board has recommended taking steps to respond to the situation and Nepal’s request as quickly and meaningfully as possible.
The letter also stated that the Fund expects the Government of Nepal to provide preliminary evidence and assessments of the damage caused by the Bhotekoshi flood, along with official data, scientific information from satellite observations, local information related to the disaster and estimates of the losses and damages.
Nepal had previously submitted proposals for three projects under a funding initiative launched by the Fund. The Alternative Energy Promotion Centre had sought $20 million for a project aimed at addressing loss and damage caused by the Rosi River and Melamchi floods and landslides in Ilam, while also advancing climate justice.
The project has been placed under the Fund’s fast-track mechanism. Similarly, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has submitted an $11 million proposal for work in the Lower Karnali region, while the World Health Organization has proposed a $12 million project focused on providing health-related support to communities affected by natural disasters.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has pledged technical and financial assistance for the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by the Rasuwa flood and for long-term integrated development in the affected areas.
The issue of integrated post-flood reconstruction and infrastructure development was discussed between Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal and Sarah Netzler, UNOPS Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
A high-level technical team from UNOPS, which had returned after conducting a field inspection of the flood-affected areas, met with Minister Lamsal on Thursday to discuss reconstruction and infrastructure development efforts following the disaster.
