Press Releases
U.S. PROVIDES $2 MILLION MORE FOR NEPAL’S PEACE PROCESS
April 6, 2007 नेपालीमा
USAID will provide an additional $2 million to support Nepal’s peace process. This commitment of new funding follows a six-day visit to Nepal by two senior USAID officials -- Michael Hess, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, and Robert Jenkins, Acting Director of the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). They visited USAID-funded projects and consulted with U.S. Mission officials, donor partners, and others.
U.S. Ambassador James F. Moriarty welcomed the increased assistance. “This new funding underscores the commitment of the U.S. Government and people to support the peace process during this historic transition period,” he said, adding: “USAID plays a central role in our efforts to help Nepal.” USAID/Nepal is the humanitarian and development assistance arm of the U.S. Mission to Nepal.
The new funding will support additional activities, such as dialogues and trainings, to assist the peace process in Nepal, including by helping address the increased tension in the Terai.
The new funding is in addition to $6.25 million already committed to help Nepal by USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives, and is part of OTI’s total program of up to $15 million over two years to help the peace process. USAID’s current budget for Nepal in 2007 is projected at $40 million.
The U.S. Government, through USAID, extends assistance from the American people to peoples of other countries struggling to build better lives. This support ranges from helping to recover from a natural disaster to working to create a free and democratic nation. For 56 years, USAID/Nepal has provided assistance to the people of Nepal in the areas of conflict mitigation and peace building, democracy and governance, health and family planning, economic growth, and disaster and humanitarian aid.