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WFP
launches international appeal for US$49 million to support Nepal's peace
process
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Kathmandu
10 July 2007 (WFP)
WFP
in Nepal is launching a US$49 million recovery programme to assist over
1.2 million people who continue to
Our
goal is to provide immediate assistance so people can begin rebuilding
their lives and be better prepared to participate in the historic process
of reshaping Nepal as a peaceful, democratic and inclusive state struggle
daily with the effects of the recently ended eleven-year conflict between
the Maoists and the Government.
According
to WFP's Country Representative in Nepal, Richard Ragan, this represents
one of the largest UN initiatives to support the people of Nepal during
the transition to a new democracy, and offers donors an opportunity to
support a rapid, field-based approach to saving lives and improving livelihoods.
Conflict
"Despite
the political, social and security progress of the last six months, over
one million people in Nepal are still struggling with the effects of the
conflict - damage to critical infrastructure, and unequal access to basic
services.
This
is on top of food insecurity exacerbated by three years of drought, conflict
related market disruptions and the ongoing tensions in the Terai," said
Ragan.
"Our
goal is to provide immediate assistance so people can begin rebuilding
their lives and be better prepared to participate in the historic process
of reshaping Nepal as a peaceful, democratic and inclusive state," Ragan
added.
Supporting
peace
The
aim of the programme is to support Nepal's peace process by providing the
most conflict-affected communities with quick-impact economic opportunities
and local assets that will serve as a tangible peace dividend, and contribute
to longer-term food security in Nepal.
Under
the year-long programme, WFP will provide food aid to some of the most
conflict-affected communities in 28 districts across Nepal.
Programme
activities will focus on three areas: critical infrastructure, return and
reintegration, and non-formal education. The objective of community-based
activities will be to improve market access, create short-term employment,
and facilitate basic service delivery.
Critical
period
"This
is a critical period in Nepal's peace process - expectations by the people
are high. The challenge faced by the interim government - to address the
root causes of the conflict while at the same time laying the foundation
for a new democracy - is arduous.
With
WFP's deep field presence and experience at running emergency operations
in Nepal, we are in the unique position to deliver immediate recovery assistance
to remote, conflict-affected populations who have yet to benefit from the
peace process," Ragan said.
Conflict
death toll
As
a result of the eleven-year conflict, over 13,000 people have been killed,
an estimated 200,000 displaced and thousands of cases of critical infrastructure
damage have been reported.
WFP
projects in Nepal benefit currently approximately 1.4 million people, including
food assistance to over 108,000 Bhutanese refugees. Operations include
emergency assistance to drought-affected people in Mid- and Far-Western
Nepal, and food for work, school feeding, and mother and child health care
activities.
Source:
WFP2007, UN World Food Programme (WFP)
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