KATHMANDU, March 6: Kathmandu-based diplomatic missions and UN agencies have called off their scheduled public events due to possible spread of coronavirus.

The US Embassy in Kathmandu said that it has postponed Independence Day reception planned for Friday (today). In a notice three days ago, the embassy stated that it cancelled the event in respect and support for the Nepal government’s request to refrain from organizing public functions to avoid the possible transmission of COVID-19.

Likewise, UN Women Country Team cancelled a hiking event scheduled to be held in Khokana in the capital on March 7 to mark the International Women’s Day. 

On Twitter, the UN Country Team in Nepal said that the planned hiking has been put off following the notice issued by Ministry of Home Affairs late Thursday.

  "We regret 2 inform u KTMSeries is postponed indefinitely! Adhering to the notice circulated by @moha_nepal late Thurs. afternoon urging 2 withhold public gatherings in light of the COVID-19 epidemic,we decided this in the best interest of the participants & 2 follow govt. mandate," the UN Country Team stated on Twitter.

On Thursday, the Kathmandu District Administration issued a public notice urging one and all to refrain from organizing/joining big public gatherings and celebrations including Holi owing to the possible spread of COVID-19.

Earlier on Sunday, a high-level government coordination committee formed to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus had urged one and all to refrain from organizing/joining mega public events.

Amid COVID-19 outbreak fears, the United Nations Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) is organizing a three-day workshop entitled “Gun Violence and Illicit Small-Arms Trafficking from a Gender Perspective,” in Kathmandu.

Talking to Republica, the UNRCPD officials maintained that the workshop was planned much earlier and all the participants had already arrived in Kathmandu by the time the Nepal government issued public appeal to refrain from public meetings and conferences. The UN Resident Coordinator for Nepal Valerie Julliand addressed the workshop's inaugural ceremony on Tuesday in Kathmandu.

Members of Parliament (MPs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from 17 States of Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Pacific, as well as international experts and UN officials are taking part in the event.  The workshop is funded by the European Union. The seminar that began on Wednesday is concluding today.

Responding to Republica’s query about the ongoing/planned UN functions, a source at the UN Country Team in Nepal said that they called off the conferences following the Nepal government's notice late Thursday. “We received the official notifications from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu only late Thursday. Accordingly, the UN Women hiking event has been cancelled,” the source added.  

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bharat Raj Paudyal said that one and all have been advised to refrain from organizing/joining the mega events due to the possible spread of COVID-19 and the same applies to the diplomatic missions based in Kathmandu. 

As far as concerned about the ongoing UNRCPD event in the capital, the spokesperson who is also the UN division chief at the ministry, said that the event was planned much earlier. 

“The UNRCPD event was planned much earlier and all the participants had already arrived here to participate in the event. Moreover, the event has witnessed the participation of only 30 people. I think, it would not be logical for the government to ask one and all to avoid such small-size conferences/meetings,” Paudyal said.

 
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