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The Nepal Government has approved the Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) on climate change impacts and adaptation and other related areas.  

Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri approved BTR on Thursday.

The Ministry of Forest and Environment stated that BTR will be announced in the Sagarmatha Sambaad taking place from today.  

Minister Shahi hoped that approval of BTR and announcement in Sagarmatha Sambaad would spread a positive message about Nepal's commitments to the climate change impacts.   

Parties to the Paris Agreement are required to submit BTR every two years. According to the modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs) for the Enhanced Transparency Framework, BTR include information on national inventory reports (NIR), progress towards NDCs, policies and measures, climate change impacts and adaptation, levels of financial, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support, capacity-building needs and areas of improvement, according to the UN agencies. 

Likewise, the government has approved the third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC-3) climate action plan and decided to send its report to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Similarly, the government has decided to approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Nepal and the Government of India on Biodiversity Conservation and to authorize the Ministry of Forests and Environment to sign the MoU by coordinating with the counterparts.

At least 15 persons  were injured after a commuter bus hit a road divider at Ratnanagar Municipality-10 in Chitwan district along the East-West Highway this morning.   

The bus (Province 1-02-001 9162) was heading towards Kathmandu from Lahan, Siraha when the incident occurred, said Rabindra Khanal, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of District Police Office, Chitwan. 

The bus was carrying 39 passengers. 

The injured passengers are receiving treatment in two hospitals in Chitwan.

In its bid to inform the world community about climate change and its impacts, and to explore measures for climate resilience, the government is organizing the Sagarmath Sambaad in Kathmandu.

Beginning today, the Sagarmatha Sambaad -- the first of its kind from the Government of Nepal -- will conclude on May 18. 

The theme of the Sagarmath Sambaad is "Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity". 

The program includes various sessions, seminars, and keynote speeches on topics such as climate action, sustainability, and global partnerships.

According to Foreign Affairs Minister and Coordinator of Sambaad Management Committee Arzu Rana Deuba, a total of 175 foreign guests and almost equal number of Nepalis will join the event.

There will be the participation of high-level delegations from 12 countries. 

The dignitaries from China, India and some other countries have already arrived in Kathmandu and the participants from some other countries are arriving. 

The leaders of Indian and Chinese delegations are scheduled to address the event. 

Likewise, COP29 President and Special Representative the President of Azerbaijan for Climate Issues is also scheduled to address the event. 

Similarly, a video message addressed to the Sagarmatha Sambaad by UN Secretary General António Guterres will be presented today.  

There will be a series of plenary sessions after the inaugural session. 

The program includes various sessions, seminars, and keynote speeches on topics such as climate action, sustainability, and global partnerships.

A fire broke out at a garment shop in Satungal of Chandragiri Municipality-11, Kathmandu on Thursday.

Joint Spokesperson of the Armed Police Force, Nepal Shailendra Thapa said that Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel with help of locals and fire engines are trying to extinguish the fire that broke at at 5:30 am today.

Fire engines of Nepal Army, Nepal Oil Corporation, Chandragiri Municipality, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and others are being used to take the fire under control.

China's Deputy Speaker and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Xiao Jie arrived in Kathmandu last night.  

Vice Chairman Xiao Jie is leading the Chinese delegation in the Sagarmatha Sambaad to be held in Kathmandu from May 16-18.  

Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri welcomed Vice Chairman Xia Jie at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

The sixth session of the Lumbini Province Assembly is beginning today.   

A meeting of the Council of Ministers of Lumbini Province Government held on May 8 had recommended the Province Assembly Chief, Krishna Bahadur Gharti, to summon the province assembly meeting from today as per the Article 183 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal.  

Province Assembly Secretary Durlav Kumar Pun informed that today's businesses of the Province Assembly include sharing the letters received from the Office of the Province Chief and deliberations on the contemporary issues.   

The Lumbini Province Government is preparing to table its policy and programs in the Province Assembly  next week.

The Nepal government should urgently heed the demands of conflict victims and amend the process for appointing commissioners to the country’s two transitional justice bodies, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists said today. To successfully implement the transitional justice law adopted by parliament in 2024, it is crucial to have a transparent and rigorous process that results in the appointment of credible and highly qualified commissioners, they said. 

In Aug 2024, Nepal’s parliament adopted a law that victims’ groups broadly accepted as a viable basis for the long delayed transitional justice process to address widespread human rights violations and abuses committed during the 1996-2006 conflict between Maoist insurgents and Nepali security forces. Under the legislation, there will be two bodies—a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons. However, survivors and victims’ representatives have rejected a short list of candidates published by a committee to appoint commissioners, a joint statement from the international organizations states. 

“The appointment of competent, impartial commissioners fully independent from any political party is crucial to the credibility and success of transitional justice in Nepal,” said Isabelle Lassée, deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International. “The government should immediately allow a revision of the appointment process to include more candidates and strengthen procedures.”
Signed in 2006, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement included a commitment to reveal what happened to victims of enforced disappearance within 60 days, and to establish “a High-level Truth and Reconciliation Commission… to probe into those involved in serious violation of human rights and crimes against humanity.” For almost two decades, these commitments have been thwarted through political maneuvering, unnecessarily deepening the pain of thousands of victims and their families, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists said.
Nepal has established similar commissions in the past, which have received over 60,000 complaints. However, the previous commissions failed to deliver on their mandate, partly due to political interference in appointments and overall lack of political will to ensure their independence and effectiveness.

In 2015, the Supreme Court determined that an earlier transitional justice law was unconstitutional and violated Nepal’s international human rights obligations. While the amended transitional justice law has some positive elements, it also contains some unacceptable provisions, including allowing for amnesty of those involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity. Therefore, the manner in which commissioners interpret and implement their mandates will be of critical importance to ensure that the commissions’ work does not violate relevant international law. The appointment of highly qualified, impartial and independent people is therefore crucial.

In a statement published on May 1, 38 groups of victims and survivors wrote that the short-listed candidates are “unlikely to carry forward the national responsibility of transitional justice,” leaving victims “once again denied justice” and suffering “a deep sense of betrayal and humiliation.”
They pointed out that the “list was developed through a non-transparent, superficial, and politically influenced process based on power-sharing and (political) access, rather than merit.” The appointments committee had failed to “publicly disclose the criteria, basis and transparent procedures used to prepare the shortlist.” According to the groups, the list “includes… individuals who have defended perpetrators, and many who lack knowledge, contribution or expertise in transitional justice."

Many survivors and the families of those subjected to violations and abuses have lived in hardship for years, often suffering lasting mental harm and physical injuries. They are struggling to learn the truth about their loved ones, are longing to see those responsible for abuses brought to justice in fair trials and remain in desperate need of reparations and official recognition. The lack of accountability for serious crimes under international law has contributed to ongoing rights violations and a wider crisis of impunity. The victims said that the appointments committee had “failed to consult them even once,” resulting in “a process controlled by the perpetrators’ side.”
“Conducting a successful transitional justice process is of importance to all Nepalis, but above all to conflict victims, who have struggled for decades to receive truth, justice and reparations,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “It has become routine for successive governments to promise that transitional justice will be ‘victim-centric,’ but these words have little meaning unless victims’ concerns are addressed and they are able to meaningfully engage in the process.”

In their statement, the victims and survivors groups have warned that they will “be compelled to initiate the formation of a parallel civil commission” to investigate conflict-era abuses if the authorities continue to ignore their concerns and pursue a “superficial process that further inflicts pain and despair on the victims.” They said that the United Nations and “the entire international community” should only support  “a credible transitional justice process.”

The government has formed a committee to facilitate the supply of medicines produced by Nepal Aushadhi Limited to the state-owned health facilities.

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel formed the committee after complaints that some drugs including Citamol, Jivan Jal and other medicines produced by the Limited were not sold, Minister Paudel's secretary stated. 

Minister Paudel on Tuesday held a discussion with the officials of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and the Limited to facilitate the smooth supply of the Limited's medicines in all three layers of government.  

After the meeting, a committee was formed under the leadership of the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies comprising the representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and Limited.

Spokesperson of the Health Ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, said that a concrete decision would be taken based on the recommendations from the committee. 

Earlier, Minister Paudel said the citizens should be provided with medicines at concessional price, for which the Limited should produce drugs regularly.