Nepal, UK sign grant agreement for climate resilience, empowerment of local levels

KATHMANDU: Nepal and the UK have signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) related to grant aid.

One of the grants, totalling approximately Rs 6.5 billion, focuses on resilience, adaptation, and inclusion in Nepal. The other grant, amounting to Rs 6.58 billion, emphasises gender and human development outcomes.

Both programmes will be implemented in Karnali, Lumbini, and Madhes provinces. Their objectives include empowering local governments and communities vulnerable to climate change, enhancing human capital, and improving the delivery of essential services in these regions.

The MoUs were signed by Dhani Ram Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) on behalf of Nepal, and Pippa Bird, Development Director and Deputy Ambassador at the British Embassy in Kathmandu, representing the UK government, according to a press statement issued by the MoF on Wednesday.

The resilience and adaptation programme will span six years, while the capacity enhancement project is planned for seven years.

During the grant signing ceremony, Joint Secretary Sharma remarked, 'These two MoUs underscore the warm and steadfast development cooperation between the two countries. I am confident that relevant government agencies will effectively collaborate to achieve the goals of these programmes.'

Likewise, Pippa Bird expressed, 'We remain committed to assisting Nepal in addressing challenges posed by climate change, global and regional health threats, and limited resources for social services. These programmes will enhance resilience to natural disasters and climate fluctuations, ultimately improving the delivery of essential services to the most vulnerable populations.