Donors agree to finance Peace Fund
Nepal’s major donors have agreed to contribute to the Peace Trust Fund set up by the government to facilitate the ongoing peace process.
United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland signed a joint agreement with the Nepal government on Tuesday, expressing their commitment to finance the Peace Fund.
Bella Bird, the Head of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK, Jörg Frieden, the country director of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and Kikkan Haugen, the deputy head of Mission at the Norwegian Embassy, and secretary at the Finance Ministry Bidhayadhar Mallik signed the joint agreement at the Finance Ministry.
Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat and resident representative of the United Nations Development Program Mathew Kahane were present on the occasion. Speaking at the programme, minister Mahat urged donor agencies to extend support to mobilise resources necessary for Nepal's peace process.
The Peace Fund was set up by the government last month with an aim to mobilise resources required to implement non-budgetary programme aimed at supporting the ongoing peace process with programmes on reconstruction of physical infrastructure destroyed during the conflict, rehabilitation of internally displaced persons and holding of constituent assembly polls.
The government aims to generate Rs 5.5 billion in the fund, which will remain active for next three years. nepalnews.com mk Feb 27 07
