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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visits to the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and China were a remarkable success despite considerable skepticism in the public domain.

This success came in the midst of a discourse in the media on how PM Dahal will deal with the issue of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), a continuous pressure from the ‘elite communities’ busy creating a buzz through their social media posts, petitions on issues under the jurisdiction of TRC and Dahal’s own political statements.

By the way, these petitions will attain nothing beyond “show cause orders” from the judiciary. The petitioners, it appears, intend to create confusion amongst the general public and unintentionally clog the already clogged justice system. These opponents would have expected that PM Dahal won’t be able to cash in on the opportunity to engage the United Nations and its platforms.

Unsurprisingly, Dahal, known for his penchant and proclivity for unexpected political maneuvers, went ahead and not only attended the UNGA in New York, but also engaged in bilateral relations with several world leaders and high-level UN delegates. The message from the UN visit was clear: Dahal, the only signatory alive of the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed between the government of Nepal and the then Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on 22 Nov 2006, remains committed to taking the peace process to a lawful and peaceful conclusion. Reiteration of his commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, and international humanitarian laws and fundamental principles and values related to human rights should be read in this context. 

As the PM of Nepal, currently the chair of the Group of Least Developed Countries, Dahal used his address to the UNGA to not only raise issues facing LDCs like climate change, Sustainable Development Goals and development cooperation but also to touch upon Nepal’s peace process and TRC. His address, summarized on the UN homepage, clearly shows how tactfully he started it. In particular, his opening statement gave a powerful message to the international community. 

Furthermore, Dahal demonstrated humility and sought help from the international community, which reiterates his commitment to the international community and his readiness to work together.

He also called upon the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the United Nations headquarters. His message was clear again: Commitment to ensuring that Nepal’s peace process abides by the “peace accord”.

Dahal also met with the UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Rabab Fatima. 

There’s a phrase from the Greek story “Daedalus and Icarus”—Kill two birds with one stone—this is exactly what Dahal did. He not only won the trust of international communities in Nepal’s peace process, but also raised pressing issues facing the LDCs as its chairperson. 

Mission accomplished. 

A warm welcome

The American diplomat and political scientist, Madeleine Albright, once famously said, “Diplomacy is not just about negotiations; it’s about understanding cultures and building bridges.” 

After all the rush, hustle and bustle of such a hectic schedule in New York, Dahal knew the importance of his Sept 23-30 visit to China—the roaring neighbor, which has always been supportive of him. Notably, during his visit, Dahal also held a one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, apart from talks with Premier Li Quant and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji. These engagements were crucial in strengthening mutual trust and signing of several memorandums of understanding (MOUs). The relationship building anchored on mutual social and economic development of peoples of the two nations was crucial in the context of delayed or postponed engagement on account of Covid-19.

Let’s focus on the outcome of the China visit. Some politicians, self-proclaimed elites and several media outlets have called it a ‘refreshment visit’. But all in all, PM Dahal’s China visit was a success.

To understand the importance of this visit, we need to get rid of this mindset--that success entails getting something instantly. 

It’s true that the visit did not yield anything right away; it also fell short of people’s expectations.

But the Chinese side accorded Dahal a warm welcome and gave due importance to the visit. This is something to take note of against the backdrop of Dahal’s recent visit to India, in which the host country came under our criticism for a “low-level welcome” accorded to our PM. Our core objective should be to build on relationships and work for tangible results gradually. In diplomacy, the most important tool is “relationship,” and clearly Dahal has outdone all his predecessors on this front. His body language throughout the China trip made it clear that he came out as a “reliable leader and a trusted neighbor”.   

The author is an expert on diplomacy and international relations with a background in law. He has worked with the UN for 15 years in Asia, Africa and Europe

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court in Kathmandu against former finance minister of Madhes Province Bijay Kumar, the then finance secretary of Madhes province, Prem Kumar Shrestha, Lalbandi Municipality mayor Man Bahadur Khadka and four others in connection with the establishment of a snake venom collection and processing center in the name of Jhalanath Khanal Institute of Health Sciences (presently known as National Health Sciences Foundation). . 

In the fiscal 2020/21, the provincial government had released a budget along with a grant, received from the federal government for the establishment of a center for collecting and processing snake venom for the production of anti-snake venom. 

More than three years into the release of the funds, the anti-corruption agency has blamed the then minister Yadav, Lalbandi Municipality mayor Khadka and others for going beyond their jurisdiction and demanded recovery of Rs 179.8 million along with fine and imprisonment for those involved as per the Corruption Prevention Act 2002.

The CIAA has sought a longer jail term for minister Yadav, citing section 24 of the Corruption Prevention Act 2002, which has stipulated additional years for senior public office-holders involved in such crimes. 

The authority has accused the then finance secretary of the province, Shrestha, of submitting a grant proposal to the Provincial Planning Commission by falsely stating that the foundation had abundant financial, physical and human resources to execute the project. Based on his proposal, the federal government had released Rs 30.27m as supplementary grants to the foundation.

CIAA has demanded that Shrestha be imprisoned for 8-10 years and Rs 30.27m recovered from him along with a fine of more than Rs 10m.

The CIAA has also pointed fingers at president of the foundation Rewati Prasad Pant, General Secretary Navaraj Bhandari, Treasurer Niraj Bhandari and member Devendra Rai. Per CIAA, the foundation’s Chair Pant had signed a partnership agreement with the government to receive government funding in the name of the foundation, which has zero cost sharing in the project, and had withdrawn Rs 179.8m. The agency has accused the foundation’s board of directors of spending government funds contrary to its objectives and approved programs.

The authority has also made the foundation a defendant demanding confiscation of its land in Lalbandi Municipality-1 along with a jeep.

Ananda Saru has held the position of Secretary at the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers (OCMCM) in Karnali province since 2020. He also serves as the program director of the Provincial and Local Governance Support Program that oversees PLGSP initiatives in the province and collaborates with development partners.

Previously, he served as the chief administrative officer (Joint Secretary) of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City in Dang, Lumbini province. With a wealth of experience in federal, provincial, and local governments, Saru has engaged with various stakeholders across different tiers of government, gaining a profound understanding of the complexities of the federalization process. ApEx had the opportunity to discuss various aspects of the three-tier government with him.

What changes have occurred in the performance, service delivery, and institutional governance of provincial and local government institutions in Karnali since the implementation of federalism?

The implementation of federalism has brought about significant transformations and improvements in the performance, service delivery, and institutional governance of provincial and local government bodies in Karnali. The primary goal of federalism is to make government structures more accessible to the public, and Karnali has made remarkable progress in this regard. During the conflict period, local public services were notably inadequate. However, since the advent of federalism, both provincial and local elections have been successfully conducted, leading to the installation of people's representatives in local units. Additionally, workforce adjustments have been made to address personnel shortages, with appointments made by the federal government and recommendations from the provincial public service commission. Nevertheless, there is still a shortage of administrative and technical staff at the provincial and local levels, but ongoing efforts aim to address this issue.

The capacity, service delivery, and governance of provincial and local government institutions are steadily improving. Federalism has brought government structures closer to the people, making governance more accessible and community-oriented. Significant progress has been made in various aspects of government service delivery, including personal incident registration, the distribution of social security benefits, the implementation of agricultural and livestock development programs, healthcare services, and business registration. Citizen participation in decision-making processes and expenditure oversight at both the local and provincial levels has increased. Efforts have also been made to establish a culture of adhering to specified deadlines for budget and program submissions and approvals.

Local units are dedicated to enhancing service delivery through self-evaluation and responsiveness to community needs. Citizen engagement has increased across various processes and programs. Furthermore, authorities at both provincial and local levels are formulating and implementing laws tailored to their specific requirements. Institutional structures are gradually being established and reinforced, with greater access for marginalized communities and groups, particularly at the local level. Cooperation between provincial and local levels is growing, and a shift towards a bottom-up planning process is underway.

What measures have been taken to enhance the participation and access of citizens, especially women and marginalized groups, in the local-level planning process, decision-making, and service delivery?

Local units are actively implementing a 7-step plan formulation process and raising awareness in the community about the importance of involving wards and small settlements in the planning process. Thematic committees have become more active, and legal provisions related to the planning process encourage the engagement of all citizens, including children, women, indigenous groups, Madhesi, Dalits, disabled individuals, and marginalized and backward communities in identifying, selecting, prioritizing, and making decisions in the planning process.

Marginalized groups are gradually gaining representation in institutional structures. Various capacity development programs conducted by both the province and local governments have empowered them to participate in decision-making processes. Efforts to include women and marginalized communities in the planning system continue through the formulation of laws, policies, and regulations. Local and provincial public buildings and structures have been made more user-friendly for women and marginalized communities.

Federalism is becoming more accessible to communities that previously faced barriers in accessing government structures. A shift in mindset is taking place, and capacity development training and orientation programs have been organized for people's representatives and employees to increase the involvement of women and marginalized communities in the planning system. Additionally, activities such as community mobilization at the village level, the Chief Minister's program for addressing complaints, the Chief Minister's employment program, parliamentary support initiatives, publication of reports aimed at uplifting and developing Badi communities, and the establishment and operation of a project information management system at the local levels have been implemented.

Furthermore, interaction programs, regular meetings of the provincial coordination council, and the execution of a joint declaration against gender-based violence have been conducted. Comprehensive workshops and orientation programs have been organized at all local levels and provinces to address common concerns and promote collaboration.

Many development partners, including UNDP and EU, are active in Karnali province. Has the provincial government been able to mobilize this support in a meaningful and sustainable way?

Development partners are actively engaged in Karnali province, and their support has been effectively mobilized to promote meaningful and sustainable outcomes. Notable achievements include the formulation of the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Policy 2020, which emphasizes the commitment to fostering equitable societies. To ensure the effective implementation of policies and initiatives, the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Accounting Procedure 2020 has been established. Comprehensive guidelines for Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) have been developed to promote fair resource allocation.

Karnali province has also established a robust data and information management system to address gender-based violence. A strategy for gender equality and social inclusion mainstreaming has been created to seamlessly integrate these principles into various initiatives across 70 local units. Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Testing has been conducted in all 79 local units, and efforts have been made to empower individuals through training sessions for trainers and GESI focal persons. This has led to increased active participation of women and marginalized communities. Laws, policies, strategies, and procedures related to institutional development are yet to be established, and support is being received from various organizations for these aspects.

Coordination with development partners extends to capacity development of Karnali Province Training Institute. The institute is also receiving technical assistance from the Province and Local Government Support Program. Annual program activities, approved by provincial and national coordination committees, are implemented in alignment with the Government of Nepal’s budget system. The training institute also collaborates with development partners like UNDP PLGSP-EUSIF and International IDEA for sustainability, particularly in the initial stages where additional support for infrastructure and systemic capabilities is vital.

Addressing the needs of women and marginalized communities is prioritized in the annual budget and work budget. The recent passage of the Karnali Province Training Institute Act signals a significant role in strengthening the federal system through capacity development of state and local government institutions, including local people's representatives. However, challenges remain, notably in terms of infrastructure development due to Karnali province's challenging geography. The provincial government's limited budget necessitates continued support from development partners for sustainable institution development.

What are the immediate, mid-term, and long-term priorities of Karnali Province Training Academy?

The Karnali Province Training Academy has a range of immediate and mid-term strategies to effectively fulfill its mission. Immediate priorities include constructing essential physical infrastructure such as training rooms, an assembly hall, hostel facilities, reading rooms, and a library. Transportation for training participants and staff must also be arranged. The institute should mobilize both internal and external human resources and focus on formulating strategic and business plans, sector

According to recent research, nine million people die every day globally as a direct result of air pollution. The health of the people is worsening due to disruptions in the environment. Parks and urban green spaces are one of the solutions to the problem of health hazards and environmental risks in the post-industrial society. Lack of green in the neighborhood is a serious problem affecting most city areas around the world and parks and other green spaces are necessary for normal functioning of people and the environment.

The crowding and human activities such as transport, shops and industries on the narrow roads and concrete structures of cities have led to the phenomenon called the urban heat island effect. The temperature in urban areas is increasing by 3.4°C compared to rural areas. The increase in temperature results in increased demand for cooling, which means an increase in the consumption of fossil fuel that leads to increased air pollution. However, with the creation of parks and green spaces, this issue can be mitigated as open areas with plants and trees give a place for the trapped heat to be released into the atmosphere.

Parks also provide a place where people can be physically active to reduce stress, which can improve their mental health. It also aids in relaxation, peace and escape from the heat, with better air quality, reduced traffic and greater diversity. A recent estimate puts 3.3 percent of global deaths due to the lack of physical activities because of poor walking ability and limited access to recreational areas. These numbers can be reduced by creating and opening parks and green spaces. 

The parks and other green spaces also have aesthetic and recreational values. They can lead to increased property values and increased municipal revenues. Also, a telephone survey by the American Public Health Association shows that 75 percent of the American adults surveyed believe that parks can play an important role in addressing America’s obesity crisis. They believe that parks help improve public health by providing direct contact with nature and a cleaner environment. Additionally, parks create a safer neighborhood, with research showing that green spaces create neighborhoods with fewer violence and crimes.

We need nature in our surroundings, we need trees on the streets, plants in our gardens and flowers on our balconies. Therefore, with all the above-mentioned benefits, there is no doubt that parks and green spaces are very necessary for cities.