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Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has reiterated that all would be treated equally as per the law and the government is committed to take action against anyone involved in criminal activities.

Talking to journalists in Chitwan today, Minister Lekhak said all the accused in the cooperative fraud would be brought to book, adding that there would be fair investigation on all those charged in cooperative fund misappropriation and the guilty would face action.

He said that police have been instructed to take action against the person who posted in the social media site a photo of Rabi Lamichhane, the President of Rastriya Swatantra Party, who is in police custody in Kaski on a case of cooperative fraud.

The Home Minister also said a directive has been given to take action against the police persons involved in neglecting the security and sensitivity of the custody.

On a different note, he said the present government would not be changed and the ministers too.

He insisted that the present coalition will continue until 2084 BS.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari and his South Korean counterpart, Inkyo Cheong, signed a bilateral Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) agreement.

The agreement was signed in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, on the occasion of completion of 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and the RoK.

On the occasion, Minister Bhandari expressed the confidence that the TIPF agreement will take the diplomatic, cultural and economic ties between the two countries to a new high. He stated that the government is committed to creating a favorable environment for foreign investment in Nepal, said Ananda Bhatta, Minister' Bhandari's personal secretary.

South Korea's Trade Minister Cheong said that the companies from his country have invested in the hydropower, automobile, assembling, among other sectors, in Nepal. He opined that the TIPF agreement will take the relations and economic collaboration between the two countries to a new height.

Recalling the cordial ties between the two nations since the past, Minister Cheong underscored on promoting partnership between them.

Chief Executive Officer of Investment Board Nepal, Sushil Gyawali made a presentation on the investment climate and opportunities in Nepal. Industrialists and businessmen from Nepal and South Korea attended the program.

Chief of the Bilateral Trade Division at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Baburam Adhikari made a presentation on the existing trade policy of Nepal and topics of improvement on it.

Officials from the Ministry, the Investment Board Nepal and the Embassy of Nepal in Seoul from the government side and some 30 businessmen including President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Chandra Dhakal, on behalf of the Nepali business sector, participated in the program organized by the Korea Nepal Business Forum.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Commission of Jurists have raised serious concerns over the process of appointing members to Nepal’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.

In a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the organizations said it is evident that the Recommendation Committee’s work is expected to meet standards of independence and impartiality, inclusivity, transparency and participation. They urged the government to form a new committee without delay to revisit this approach, addressing the concerns raised by victims, survivors, Nepali civil society and international organizations.

Competency, integrity and public trust in the commissioners are essential for the commissions to deliver their important mandates as envisioned in the law, they said, calling on the Prime Minister and the leaders of major political parties to ensure a conducive environment for selecting independent, impartial, competent, diverse and widely-accepted leadership for the commissions by consulting victims, survivors and civil society stakeholders.

Transitional justice requires adherence to international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law, they pointed out, calling on the Prime Minister and all relevant stakeholders to “safeguard the national and international legitimacy of this process”. With two prior failed attempts at transitional justice, the risk of a third failure looms large, their letter states: Such a failure could signal Nepal’s unwillingness or inability to ensure accountability for grave human rights violations including crimes under international law.

“To advance truth, justice and reparations within Nepal”, they strongly urged the Prime Minister and all stakeholders to take decisive action to appoint and empower a new recommendation committee to complete the work of selecting commissioners, ensure a transparent process including wider consultations with stakeholders and enable a process that leads to the appointment of independent, impartial and competent people to the commissions.

The process for the appointment of members to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons has been quite challenging. On 16 Dec 2024, the two months allotted to the Recommendation Committee to select candidates expired without the process being completed, and the committee recommended that the government form a new recommendation committee. The Committee earlier published a shortlist of candidates, drawing significant objections from conflict victim communities and other members of civil society. In a press release dated 7 Dec 2024, over two dozen victims’ and survivors’ groups expressed concerns, stating that “the list appears to favour individuals with contentious reputations for key positions and threatens the opportunity to meaningfully resolve transitional justice issues.” They urged the Recommendation Committee to consult with individuals excluded from the shortlist, include their names and ensure the selection process is impartial, transparent and competitive. The process must aim at selecting members on the basis of their competence in human rights and other relevant areas of international law, proven independence and recognized impartiality, and reflecting gender balance and a pluralist representation of society, they said.

On 9 Dec 2024, two former members of the National Human Rights Commission, along with a senior journalist and human rights advocate, issued a press note criticizing the Recommendation Committee for disregarding long-standing demands to appoint knowledgeable and credible individuals trusted by victim communities.

They expressed their “strong objection” to the current shortlist and warned that “neither the commission will have credibility nor can it expect cooperation from the human rights and conflict victim communities” if they are led by the shortlisted candidates. They have also called for the annulment of the current shortlist and the initiation of a new, more inclusive process.

Since Sept 2019, the United States has provided over $700m in foreign aid through programs administered by the US Department of State and USAID. These aid initiatives have focused on health, economic growth, democracy and governance, and food security, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of State.

The US is committed to deepening its long-standing partnership with Nepal in supporting its democratic resiliency, promoting economic opportunity, and protecting and advancing its sovereignty, the Spokesperson  said in an email interview.  “Our robust people-to-people ties are the cornerstone of our relationship, fostering friendship, understanding, trust, and goodwill.”

According to the Spokesperson , the $500m Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, along with the Government of Nepal’s additional $197m contribution, is another great example of the US commitment to Nepal.  The Spokesperson said the MCC projects will bring high quality, green energy and improved roads to the people of Nepal to power continued economic growth. “$260m in US International Development Finance Corporation loans and equity investments will support agricultural and small and medium sized enterprises, particularly women-run enterprises.”

With the re-election of Donland Trump as president of America, foreign policy watchers in Nepal and India are keenly watching whether there will be any changes in US policy toward South Asia and Nepal. The Spokesperson  assuaged the doubt by stating that the US do not have any changes in policy to announce at this point of time. Nepal recently signed the Cooperation Framework for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), raising eyebrows in New Delhi and Washington. Both New Delhi and Washington have advised Nepal to accept the support under BRI in a transparent way to prevent debt burden.

Commenting on Nepal’s BRI agreement, the Spokesperson said, “It is up to the Government of Nepal to determine which agreements and partnership will benefit its people.” He, however, added that such partnership between two countries should be open, transparent, and mutually beneficial. That is the basis of our partnership with Nepal, and we will continue to seek opportunities to support Nepal’s ongoing development efforts.

During Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China on Dec 2-5, the two sides came up with a statement which has been a topic of discussions in the political and diplomatic circles. The statement says that Nepal firmly supports China’s efforts to achieve its national reunification and opposes Taiwan’s independence.

Though the issue of Taiwan independence and shift from one China policy to one China principle was mentioned in the joint statement during former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s China visit last year, China’s “national reunification” effort is a new development.

Addressing this issue, the Spokesperson said that their approach to Taiwan has remained consistent across decades and administrations. “The United States has a longstanding one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances.” The Spokesperson further added that their one China Policy is distinct from China’s one China principle. “We do not take a position on the ultimate resolution of Cross-Strait differences, and we maintain that Cross-Strait differences must be resolved peacefully, free from coercion, and in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait.”