KATHMANDU, Nov 23: Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Jorgan K Andrews has said that Nepal has been doing well in the sector of justice reforms and security sector. 

Deputy Assistant Secretary Andrews, who is currently in Nepal on a two-day visit, made the remark after he and his team visited officials at the Supreme Court, Attorney General and National Judicial Academy and met with his Nepali counterparts to discuss security sector reforms and justice in Nepal. “I have seen a dozen of countries implementing justice reforms but only a few are as ambitious and comprehensive like that of Nepal.” he said.

Andrew oversees international narcotics law programs in Europe and Asia, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, working with international partners to deter or disrupt illicit drug trafficking and other transnational criminal activity and promote criminal justice cooperation with the United States.

Andrews mentioned that Nepal has already passed a new criminal code, introduced several new laws and is currently in the process to create federal structures including that of police force at the province level. “Police, prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges all will have the same level of understanding of these new laws and new codes,” he said. 

This will later help create space to ensure that everyone involved in the system will work together to bring about positive outcome, he added.

Andrew also mentioned that the interests of United States and Nepal have long been coinciding in the sector of justice and security. “The bureau is happy with the efforts and ambitions of Nepali government in order to bring reforms to the justice sector of Nepal,” he said. 

The main objective of this bureau has always been to build a strong bond between people and the security and judicial system as justice and security stand out as the substructure for the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

“If justice system is not strong and capable enough of protecting and ensuring people’s rights it creates hindrance in further developmental activities,” said Andrews. 

Nepal will soon be holding trainings for all those groups and the Bureau will support the training to ensure that each of the group involved will have similar level of understanding of the laws in order to implement them more effectively. “Our commitment remains strong to peace, justice and security in Nepal and all the other nations we are linked with,” he added. 

 
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