Last year, the US had extended approximately the same amount through its bilateral development programs, largely in partnership with USAID. [break]
“We expect to make similar financial commitments to Nepal´s development this year,” US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H DeLisi told an interaction organized jointly by Entrepreneurs for Nepal and Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation, in Kathmandu on Thursday.
The financial assistance for this year will be invested in improving maternity health, development of agricultural sector, supporting vocational education, combating trafficking, and supporting democracy and governance. “We will also commit more funds very soon to directly support the peace process as well,” DeLisi said.
Strongly criticizing those who say donor´s money has not helped Nepal progress over the years or donor´s money only benefits the elite or flows to NGOs that are really not delivering services, he said: “Your (Nepalis´) future success depends to a significant degree on whether the government and donors working together can help direct development policies to build right economic environment and produce the right kind of lasting and sustainable outcomes that will permit you to build a better future."
The US government has been providing financial aid to Nepal for the last 60 years, beginning with support extended to eradicate Malaria in the Tarai and opening of the land in the region for agricultural development.
Since then, Nepal has received tens of millions of dollars from the US government, as it believes development is an essential precursor to build an enabling environment, develop capacity and nurture human resources. These elements, in turn, are essential for private sector-led economic development, DeLisi said.
He, however, said private sector in Nepal has not been able to thrive due to lack of efforts made by the government in creating proper development policies. “But even if there are development plans or strategies, implementation is weak or non-existent, as one plan replaces another,” DeLisi said. “The next generation of policymakers will need to focus more on these concerns than the political issues if Nepal were to achieve its true potential.”
But he acknowledged that creation of policies alone is not enough for economic growth to be successful. “Those policies must also be linked intellectually and programmatically to broader vision of the nation´s economic growth,” according to DeLisi.
“If not, its impact is vitiated and ends up being little more than a panacea that benefits a few targeted groups who cannot advance the broader national interest," he said.
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