According to a press release issued by UN Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nepal, the fund will be administered by the local UN Peace Fund for Nepal and overseen by the government, the UN and donors. [break]
“The fund will be directed to a number of areas to help consolidate the peace process, including improving policing support to the courts, promoting dialogue and leadership and reinforcing national efforts to address the needs of women and conflict affected children,” stated the press release.
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Robert Piper noted the important achievements in the peace process to-date, including imminent completion of the discharge and integration process of the ex-Maoist army, successful and largely peaceful election in 2008, removal of all minefields in the country and a smooth transition to Republic.
But the peace process continues have many challenges including the recently missed 27 May deadline to promulgate new constitution. “As we saw in late May, some of the most difficult and sensitive issues of the peace process are still ahead of Nepal. At this uncertain juncture, we will target these resources toward interventions that will help move the peacebuilding process forward,” the release quoted Piper as saying.
On the occasion of the release of the Fund, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, UN Assistant Secretary General for Peacebuilding Support, said that beyond the immediate focus on short-term issues, Nepal will continue to require significant media and long-term investment in peacebuilding to address the underlying causes of the conflict.
“We want our resources fund projects that will create momentum in support of the peace process in Nepal,” she said.
The latest aid brings the total resources allocated to Nepal by the UN Peacebuilding Fund to almost $19 million.
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