US assistance has focused on responding to the needs of the Nepali people -- strengthening economic growth, building roads, eradicating malaria in the Terai, creating Kathmandu’s first modern telephone exchange, improving health services, building peace, strengthening democracy and governance, and assisting with humanitarian crises. Working in close coordination with the Government of Nepal, other donor agencies, and the broader development community, we have seen Nepal achieve remarkable development outcomes.
In 1951, travel in Nepal was still almost exclusively by foot, as only 376 kilometers of rough vehicle tracks existed in Kathmandu Valley and on the Indian Border. Electricity was virtually non-existent and food supplies were very limited. Health services of any kind were rare. Malaria was endemic with an estimated 25 percent of the population infected at any given time. Many other communicable diseases also wreaked havoc. Life expectancy averaged barely 28 years.
Since then, roads, hospitals, schools, and drinking water systems have been built. Literacy rates have increased, fertility and childhood mortality have decreased, and Nepali citizens can expect to live twice as long as they could in 1951. Nepal has made dramatic progress in this relatively short period of time. The U.S is proud to have been a partner in this success.
However, Nepal still remains the poorest country in South Asia and the 13th poorest country in the world. Approximately 55 percent of Nepalese live below the international poverty line of USD 1.25 per day. More work clearly remains to be done and the United States remains steadfast in our continuing support.
Emerging from a decade-long insurgency, Nepal is writing new pages in its history. When we tell this story to our children, let us draw on the legacy of development over the past sixty years to inspire the vision of what we want Nepal to become in their lifetimes.
When President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year, he called on the development community to elevate development as a necessary component – a necessary precondition – for peace and prosperity in the world. As a result, a powerful consensus has formed across the US Government that development is vital, and we have a renewed interest in the positive value of an interconnected world.
In 2009 the US committed more than USD 46 million for assistance efforts in Nepal. In 2010 we plan USD 58 million. For 2011, President Obama has requested USD 94 million from our Congress for our work in Nepal. Together we hope to accelerate efforts to improve health, food security, economic opportunities, governance and rule of law, and fight illicit trafficking and corruption. The United States will also help improve the capacity of the police to combat crime and strengthen the Nepal army’s capacity to respond to disasters and participate in peacekeeping operations around the world. And with the conclusion of the peace process and the subsequent improved political stability, more accountable governance, and reductions in corruption, further increases in US assistance may be possible.
Over the last year, President Obama began to define his vision through a number of new Presidential initiatives addressing – global hunger and food security, global climate change, and global health. Through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), we will provide approximately USD 316.5 million in development assistance to Nepal over the next five years. Our funding levels, rising steadily since the year 2000, are expected to continue to grow.
Nepal has agreed to be one of 20 focus countries for President Obama’s USD 3.5 billion Feed the Future Initiative. The United States firmly believes that Nepal demonstrates potential for rapid and sustainable agriculture-led growth, as well as opportunities for regional coordination through trade and other mechanisms. The United States will work with the Government of Nepal and other donors to help tackle the root causes of hunger by sustainably increasing agricultural productivity to meet the demand for food, supporting and facilitating access to strong markets, providing employment opportunities, and increasing incomes so the poor can purchase food and reduce under-nutrition through development and diplomatic efforts.
USAID has a long history of environmental programs in Nepal, such as work to help establish the community forest user groups to support environmental governance, conserve bio-diversity, and promote sustainable livelihoods. Our projects have improved the livelihoods and immediate environment of many Nepalese, enabling them to be more resilient and better prepared to adapt to climate change stresses. With the Global Climate Change initiative’s focus on sustainable landscapes, adaptation, and clean energy – all very pertinent to Nepal – and given our history and successes, we are well positioned to have a substantial impact on climate change issues in Nepal with future programs.
Despite many challenges, Nepal has achieved truly impressive improvements in the health sector, especially regarding the health status of women and children. Surveys confirm that from 1996 to 2006 both maternal and childhood mortality declined by nearly half. However, far too many women in Nepal continue to die every day from childbirth. Each year, about 23,000 children die in Nepal before they reach the age of one month. That means about every 20 minutes a newborn dies in Nepal. What is particularly tragic is that most of these deaths are preventable.
The Global Health Initiative calls for renewed attention to family planning, nutrition, HIV, and maternal, newborn, and child health services. The US Government will invest USD 63 billion worldwide over the next six years to help host countries improve their health systems and provide the care that their own people need. With the resources that Global Health Initiative is likely to bring to Nepal, we will have the opportunity to save many more lives through a stronger, sustainable health system so that thousands more can reach their fullest potential.
Emerging from a decade-long insurgency, Nepal is writing new pages in its history. These pages will be written by thousands of people taking steps each day to improve their future and that of their communities. When we tell this story to our children, let us draw on the legacy of development over the past sixty years to inspire the vision of what we want Nepal to become in their lifetimes. And may that vision further inspire our own contributions to the future of Nepal’s development in the coming months.
(Writer is US Ambassador to Nepal.)
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