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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called a meeting to acquire information on the nation's present economic situation.

The meeting is being held with the ministers of various line ministries, the National Planning Commission, Nepal Rastra Bank, among other bodies to take information on the initiatives for improving the present economic situation and the next steps to be taken, according to Manohari Timilsina, the Prime Minister's press expert.

Although the external sector of the economy has improved in recent times, there is no improvement in the internal economic indicators. Among other problems, low capital expenditure, inadequate loan disbursement, reduced consumer demand, sagging morale of the private sector and domestic productivity not being able to grow are some of the problems seen in the country's economy.

The government has brought various reform programs through its policies and programs for the current fiscal year for improving the economy, but the expected improvement is not seen in the economy due to the unsatisfactory implementation of these programs.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to attend the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), starting from Nov 30 to Dec 12 in Dubai. The Ministry of Forest and Environment said preparations are underway for Dahal’s visit, planned from Nov 29 to Dec 4. 

On Dec 2, Prime Minister Dahal will address the high-level session scheduled for Dec 1 and 2, which will feature addresses by heads of state/government from around the world.

Nepal has intensified preparations for the conference. To finalize Nepal’s agendas, the ministry has announced a ‘National Climate Conference’ set to take place in Kathmandu on Nov 21.

The conference will delve into discussions regarding the National Adaptation Plan, the implementation plan based on the Nationally Determined Contributions, and the agenda for COP28.

Buddhi Sagar Paudel, Head of the ministry’s Climate Change Management Division, mentioned that senior officials from the ministry, chief ministers, heads and officers of concerned organizations, development partners, media representatives and others will partake in the program.

The ministry has already devised a roadmap for Nepal’s engagement at the conference and has been working accordingly. Joint Secretary Paudel stated, “For the conference preparations, a committee comprising secretaries of relevant ministries and key representatives of other concerned bodies, under the guidance of the minister, has been formed. Efforts have been made to gather suggestions.” 

Additionally, under the department’s leadership, a working group comprising representatives of line ministries has made significant progress in crafting the ‘National Position Paper’ for COP28 through coordination and consultations with stakeholders, he added.

Thematic groups covering topics like climate adaptation, mitigation, finance, loss and damage, global measurement and transparency, mountains, gender equality, young children and tribes have already taken shape.

As part of preparations for Nepal’s agendas at the COP28 conference, the ministry has established an expert group focusing on six core areas: Climate finance, adaptation, transfer of mountain technology and capacity-building, loss and damage, gender, youth, children, climate empowerment, and mitigation of climate change effects.

Nepal has prioritized specific issues for this conference, including climate finance, adaptation strategies, managing funds for climate-related loss and damage, addressing mountain-related concerns, reducing emissions and fostering inclusivity.

The ministry announced Nepal’s plan to set up a pavilion at the conference venue to host its programs. They anticipate more than 34 programs, covering diverse subjects, with a schedule of four programs per day at the pavilion from Dec 3 to 11. This marks the first instance where various national and international organizations will conduct programs at the pavilion, focusing on Nepal’s highlighted issues.

Experts in the field anticipate that the events held at the pavilion will effectively showcase Nepal’s concerns and help raise awareness and support for these critical issues.

On the eve of the conference, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid a four-day official visit to Nepal from Oct 29 to Nov 1. Nepali officials believe that Guterres’ priority on climate change, exhibited during the visit, will also make it easier for highlighting problems facing Nepal at the global stage.

During his visit, Guterres highlighted the critical issue of climate change in the Himalayas, emphasizing the alarming rate at which glaciers are melting. He drew parallels to regions like Greenland and Antarctica, pointing at rising sea levels and other visible impacts in the form of floods, landslides and consequential disruptions to communities. Guterres emphasized the urgency of climate action, stating, “We must stop this madness. We must move forward with climate action.”

Highlighting Nepal’s challenges, he noted that the country’s glaciers had melted 65 percent faster in the last decade than in the previous one. 

To better understand the real impact of climate change on local livelihoods, Guterres engaged with residents of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality-4 in Solukhumbu district. This interaction allowed him to comprehend firsthand how climate change has multifaceted effects on their daily lives. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dahal has affirmed his commitment to assert Nepal’s stance and views on the impact of climate change directly at COP28. Speaking at an event organized on Saturday by the Nepal Mountaineering Association to hand over the peace torch at the Sagarmatha base camp, Dahal emphasized the need to assert rights rather than relying solely on supplication.

He highlighted Nepal’s stance, stressing that those responsible for carbon emissions must take greater accountability and contribute to the climate fund. Nepal, in the global climate discourse, aims to claim its rights rather than seek mere assistance.

Moreover, the Prime Minister recalled the recent visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Khumbu region, citing it as a reminder to the world about pressing issues. He noted Guterres’ visit, during which he inspected the impacts of climate change and engaged with local residents and representatives. Dahal highlighted the significant contribution of Guterres’ visit in highlighting the climate change challenges facing the region on a global scale.

During the second Voice of Global South Summit also, Prime Minister Dahal reiterated that climate change poses a significant threat to humanity. He affirmed Nepal’s unwavering dedication to implementing the Paris Agreement, emphasizing the country’s measures aimed at safeguarding and sustainably managing natural resources. “Nepal is actively engaged in effective adaptation and mitigation strategies and has expressed commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045 through the promotion of green initiatives,” he added.

Agendas for COP28

• Climate finance: Strategies and mechanisms to secure funding for climate-related initiatives, focusing on sustainable development and resilience against climate change impacts
• Adaptation: Developing and implementing strategies to adapt to changing climatic conditions, emphasizing resilience-building measures
• Transfer of mountain technology and capacity-building: Facilitating the transfer of relevant technologies suitable for mountainous regions and enhancing the capacity of local communities to manage and adapt to climate change
• Loss and damage: Addressing the impacts of climate change-induced loss and damage, including measures to mitigate and manage these effects
• Gender, youth, children, climate empowerment: Promoting inclusivity and empowerment of marginalized groups such as women, youth, and children in climate action and decision-making processes
• Mitigation of the effects of climate change: Implementing strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change through various measures and initiatives

It has been 17 years since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) between the government and the then CPN (Maoist), bringing an end to the decade-long armed conflict in the country.

On November 21, 2005, the then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal  came together to sign this historic agreement, officially declaring the termination of the armed conflict. This significant event followed the cease-fire declared on November 8 after an agreement between seven political parties and the Maoist.

When the then Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula declared, "We hereby announce an end to the armed conflict that has been in place since 2052 BS," during the reading of the Accord's full text, it was met with thunderous applause at the New Baneshwor-based Birendra International Convention (now International Convention Centre). The whole nation became euphoric with the signing of the CPA, which raised hopes among the people for sustainable peace, political stability and development.

The agreement specifically emphasized the need for an inclusive, democratic, and progressive restructuring of the nation, bringing an end to the state's centralized governance system. It set the course for building a new Nepal through the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister said the CPA between the government and the Maoist paved a way for building a new Nepal, serving as a milestone for the beginning of a new episode of history through the politics of reconciliation with an end to a politics of violence prevalent in the country since the past 11 years.

Commenting over the historic achievement, Koirala said, "We, today, have set an example on the global stage by resolving the conflict on our own."

"Your efforts won't be successful," he recalled the skepticism he faced during his endeavors to bring the then rebelling Maoist to the mainstream of politics. He said at the moment that it was a duty of democrats to transform those non-democrats into the proponents of democracy.

Maoist Chair Dahal commented that the signing of the peace agreement marked the greater realization of people's efforts to build a new Nepal since 1950. "This is a victory of those Nepali who wish Nepal's progress and a defeat of those favoring status quo, preventing efforts to progress.  The big powers and those arrogant nations are surprised wondered by this success of the Nepali people."

The establishment of peace, along with provisions for relief, rehabilitation and repatriation of the conflict survivors by normalizing the situation through the formation of a specific commission was a crucial aspect of the Accord. Around 17,000 citizens were killed by the State and rebelling side during the decade-long armed conflict. 

Though it was agreed to make public the personal details of those who were forced disappeared by both sides and make such details available to the respective families within 60 days of the signing of the peace agreement, the issue still remains unresolved.

Though the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) were formed to deal with the cases of transitional justice, the achievements so far have been deemed unsatisfactory.

Although both sides to the agreement expressed their commitment to repatriate those displaced from their homes during the armed conflict to their ancestral places or places of their former residence voluntarily and without any political prejudice, to reconstruct the infrastructures destroyed due to the fighting and to rehabilitate and socialize the displaced persons in a dignified way, these works have not been carried out formally.

The then rebel side has taken reins of government three times and participated in coalition governments eight times in this period of around 20 years.

The conflict-affected families and other members of their families not directly involved in the conflict are still languishing in pain. Even the declaration made in the peace accord, that the right of the conflict-affected, torture victims and the families of those enforced disappeared persons to get relief would be guaranteed, has not become a reality.

Welcoming the CPA, even the international community and Nepal's neighbors had remarked that the Accord reflected the strong desire of Nepali people for peace and stability by ending the politics and culture of violence. 

Prof Birendra Prasad Mishra, who was the coordinator of the then Ceasefire Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee, said the CPA has so far been limited to the management of the Maoist combatants only, but has not been focused on alleviating the pain of innocent people not related to the armed conflict and the conflict-affected general public.

"Even at present, the concerns of the innocent people and those killed in the conflict have not received due attention," Prof Mishra said.

Looking at the incidents of that time, in the beginning the conflict appeared to be between the Maoist and the then ruling parties. The parties' leaders and cadres also got killed. There were three forces comprising the King, parliamentary parties and the Maoist party at that time. The political developments after that produced a triangular power balance in the country which thereafter pitted the King on one side and the Maoist together with the seven political parties on the other side.

The Second People's Movement took place after the signing of the 12-point agreement between the alliance of seven political parties and the Maoist on 22 November 2005. After the success of this Movement, the King reinstated the parliament which he had dissolved.

The peace process was initiated with a ceasefire agreement. The code of conduct monitoring mechanism was formed after the talks teams were constituted, which led to the signing of the CPA. The interest of both sides was to protect their own interests. The result of this was that the Constituent Assembly elections had to be held twice. Finally, a new constitution was promulgated by the second Constituent Assembly on 20 September 2015. The Maoist party formed the government or became part of the coalition governments frequently. 

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) have still not been able to carry out their works. They were not given the full power to carry out their works independently.

"The government and the Maoists both want general amnesty. It is due to this mentality that transitional justice has not concluded even after 17 years of the CPA. The families of those killed in the course of the conflict should be properly addressed," the conflict resolution expert Mishra said, adding that the families who lost their guardians and children to the conflict are still yearning for justice.

According to him, the country has transformed into a federal republic and the political parties that brought this epochal change have run the government turn by turn, but the main issue is what the families of the innocent conflict affected people got. 

"I still feel that the political parties apologized that they have committed mistakes for the sake of 'token justice' if not full justice to the families of the innocent people and those killed in the conflict," Prof Mishra said.

As he said, currently Nepal's peace process is like an orphan without any custodian. The peace process, he said, is in a state of confusion as the political parties in the meantime gave only priority to forming and toppling the governments.

"Nobody should carry out works to invite conflict and disturb the peace again. If the government and the political parties want, the problem can be resolved in one minute, but what is needed for this is strong courage and commitment," Prof Mishra reiterated.

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