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Germany has donated vaccines to Nepal as part of the COVID-19 response. About 1,965,600 doses of the Moderna vaccine as well as 2,176,650 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were provided by Germany to Nepal through the multilateral vaccine platform COVAX this week.

These vaccines add to the in-kind donations of life-saving medical supplies and technical support during this pandemic. In addition, Germany had also supported the procurement of ultra-low temperature freezers, procured through UNICEF, according to a press statement issued by the Embassy of Germany in Kathmandu.

“We can only get over this worldwide pandemic together. Therefore, from the very beginning, Germany has been supporting the multilateral platform ACT-A/COVAX and is today the second biggest donor. We are proud that we can now share more than 4.1 million doses of covid vaccines with the people of Nepal. With these vaccines more than 10 percent of the population can get fully vaccinated”, said Dr Stephan Russek, Chargé d'Affaires at the German Embassy.

Dr Russek presented the vaccines on December 16 to Minister for Health and Population, Birodh Khatiwada, in the presence of EU representative Stepháne Maicon, UNICEF representative Elke Wisch and WHO representative Dr. Vinod Bura.

Ms Nona Deprez, EU-Ambassador to Nepal, congratulated on this consignment: “The European Union is so far the biggest donor of COVID-19 vaccines in the world. EU Member States have shared more than 350 million doses for donation to countries around the world. In total, we will secure 700 million doses for sharing by Team Europe by the middle of 2022. I am glad, that Germany as part of Team Europe shows Nepal that the best partnerships are when we support each other.”

CDC Group (soon to become British International Investment), the UK’s development finance institution, has announced a US $25 million loan to Global IME Bank Ltd (“GIME”), one of the largest commercial banks in Nepal. CDC’s commitment will enhance GIME’s ability to provide credit to businesses across key economic priority sectors and stimulate economic opportunities throughout the country.

The facility will also help address funding gaps in the market by strengthening GIME’s capacity to increase lending to businesses in key economic sectors, such as infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. This much-needed capital will enable the Bank to offer financial support to more businesses, enhancing their ability to navigate post-covid recovery and create jobs that will facilitate sustained inclusive growth across all segments of society in Nepal.  

Moreover, the loan will amplify GIME’s plans to broaden its offer to key sectors, including renewable energy and tourism sectors, classified by the Government of Nepal as priority sectors for the country. The Bank’s goal to provide local and foreign currency longer-term lending to businesses within these sectors and others, aligns with CDC’s ambition to increase green finance and help scale clean energy and infrastructure projects across its markets, including in key countries like Nepal. 

The DFI’s commitment to GIME forms part of its strategy to bring the best of British finance to help accelerate productive, sustainable, and inclusive opportunities in market shaping sectors that create jobs and usher in transformative positive impact in Nepal and throughout the wider region. CDC’s commitment to Nepal is demonstrated by its investment in the country’s leading internet provider WorldLink, as well as its commitment to NMB Bank and the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydroelectric Project. This year, the DFI invested in Nepal-focussed Dolma Fund II and partnered to launch the Nepal Invests market building platform, aimed at accelerating foreign direct investment into the country.

Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Kathmandu in collaboration with Hotel Aloft Kathmandu organized Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Indian Food Festival named ‘Flavors of Kashmir’ on 10 December 2022. 

The festival showcased authentic Kashmiri cuisine from India, with dishes being curated by Indian Celebrity Chef, Sanjay Raina.

The  ‘Flavours of Kashmir’ festival was inaugurated by Mr. Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Ambassador of India to Nepal. 

The food festival will be held from December 10-19 at Hotel Aloft in Thamel, Kathmandu. Known throughout India and the world as ‘Paradise on Earth’, Kashmir is blessed not only with natural beauty, but also a heritage of divine cuisine. 

A wide spread of delightful delicacies are available in the festival. Embassy in a press statement said: “The event was organized as part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of India's independence.”

Gautam Devi Gharti, a recipient of the senior citizen allowance, collected Rs. 13,500 from her Social Security Allowance (SSA) bank account, as a multi-purpose cash relief for the October 2021 Karnali flood. For the first time in Nepal, the Social Protection system has been used to provide disaster relief.

The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) in partnership with Tikapur and Janaki municipalities in Kailali district, was able to distribute multi-purpose cash to 111 individuals last week. They each were sent an SMS on their mobile phone informing that cash had been deposited into their SSA bank account as a relief assistance.

The support was provided to persons with disabilities in Tikapur, and to all SSA recipients in Janaki, who were affected by the flood. With financial support from the European Union and technical support from the Danish Red Cross, the NRCS has been working to find ways of using the Social Protection system to reach at-risk communities at the earliest, and possibly even before a disaster strikes.

As a result, the SSA was used to identify and communicate with flood affected SSA beneficiaries and quickly provide them with cash relief to help them through a tough time.