NEWLETTER OF THE DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO NEPAL Vol. 7 No. 3 July - September 2012 Ambassador Spachis appointed 1st European Union Representative to SAARC T he European External Action Service (EEAS), the foreign policy wing of the European Union, has officially assigned Ambassador Alexander Spachis, currently serving as the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Nepal to also represent the EEAS in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, assigned Dr. Spachis with the new responsibility through a letter addressed to Mr. Ahmed Saleem, SAARC Secretary General on 27th August, 2012. Ambassador Spachis with SAARC Secretary General Ahmed Saleem at the SAARC Secretariat During his meeting with Mr. Saleem Dr. Spachis said that he was honored to take The letter addressed to the SAARC strengthen our relationship. We look up the additional responsibility and Secretary General states, "The European forward to continue working with you looked forward to strengthen the existing Union is pleased to participate in the SAARC and SAARC member States with the cooperation between the European Union and by designating Ambassador Spachis to objective to advance regional collaboration and SAARC. serve as our lead representative we intend to in South Asia." EU support worth EUR 8 million to set What's Inside? EU support to address chronic up three diagnostic laboratories in malnutrition could yield positive outcomes: Ambassador Spachis 2 three SAARC countries EU-Nepal Joint Commission Meeting dwells on range of issues linked to Nepal's development 2 T he European Union (EU) has joined The EU contribution will come to an end hands with the Food and Agriculture in 2013, the pertinent task for the SAARC Practical Action and the EU join Organization to set up three diagnostic member states is now to pump in more hands to help 4,000 informal 3 waste workers laboratories to carry out tests for highly resources and strengthen the network of pathogenic emerging diseases found in laboratories and organize subsequent EU funded Human Rights projects bring smiles on the faces of conflict 4 livestock through the mobilization of training to have real impact. The network hit people in mid-west Nepal funds worth EUR 8.8 million, of which 0.8 of diagnostic laboratories is expected to million has been put in by FAO. This contribute significantly to control the Photo Feature 6 activity is expected to contribute three diseases found in livestock and significantly to control Foot and Mouth boost economic growth in the SAARC Council of the European Union Disease (FMD), PPR and Highly region. appoints Stavros Lambrinidis as first EU Special Representative for 7 Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Human Rights According to a FAO information bulletin, The EU has set out to assist the 21.8 million animals are susceptible to Fact Sheet 8 endeavours of FAO and SAARC to FMD in Nepal as FMD is endemic in Nepal. establish the diagnostic laboratories to Around 937 outbreaks on an average are help them fulfil their potentials and reported every year and the estimated Currency Conversion thereby set up appropriate corporate economic loss due to reduction in milk as of 30 September, 2012 structures to stem animal diseases posing and meat production is US $ 66 million EUR 1 = NRs. 110.17 a threat across the borders. per year. EUR 1 = US$ 1.2874 EU support to address chronic malnutrition could yield positive outcomes: Ambassador Spachis T he European Union has been of measures to prevent and address chronic Kshetry, Vice Chairman of the National contributing generously to assist countries malnutrition in women and children in the Planning Commission said that malnutrition suffering from problems related to nutrition. country, where pervasive child and maternal is implicated in more than half of the child The EU-funded Maternal and Child Nutrition under-nutrition threatens to derail national deaths in Nepal a proportion unmatched Security in Asia (MYCNSIA) project is a good economic development and growth. by any infectious diseases. He said that example of EU support to the sector. Five national GDPs could improve by 2 to 3 countries in Asia Nepal, Bangladesh, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai percent in poor countries through the Indonesia, Lao PDR and the Philippines have unveiled the National Multi-Sector Nutrition success achieved in tackling malnutrition been the targeted beneficiaries. Plan amidst a programme organised at the and under nutrition. National Planning Commission hall on The European Union is contributing a grant 20 September, 2012. The plan was prepared Dr. Alexander Spachis, Ambassador, Head of EUR 20 million to UNICEF to tackle under through the collaborative efforts of five key of the European Union Delegation to Nepal nutrition in five Asian countries where poor government sectors, under the captainship participated in the inaugural function. nutrition remains a major obstacle to of the National Planning Commission. He said that the problem of mal-nutrition development. Nepal has received EUR 3.2 could be best tackled through the million from the European Union for the Addressing the programme, PM Bhattarai concerted efforts of the relevant line period of 2010-2-014. Part of the funding said that the plan is not limited to ministries since the overlapping issues has been used to develop the evidence- addressing the problem of chronic needed to be addressed jointly. Now that based Multi-sector nutrition plan in close malnutrition and measures for its Nepal has such a plan for the next five years, collaboration with other key development prevention, but also considers the factors it should contribute to reduce chronic cases partners such as the World Bank, WFP and that limit the capacity of government of malnutrition by 20 percent, which would HKI, and to support the Government of institutions to implement it. Speaking at in turn have a positive impact in the nation's Nepal to develop a comprehensive package the programme, Deependra Bahadur economy in the long run. EU-Nepal Joint Commission Meeting dwells on range of issues linked to Nepal's development T he Eighth EU-Nepal Joint were incorporated in the strategic plan and as the best approach. Nepal also stressed Commission meeting took place in reiterated Nepals appreciation for EU that as the next host and future chair of Brussels on the 19th of July. The meeting, support to the NPTF. As far as development SAARC in 2013, the government would which is held at regular intervals makes cooperation is concerned, Nepal mentioned work towards fostering regional a thorough evaluation of EU-Nepal infrastructure, support for agriculture, food cooperation. Nepal pointed to its strategic cooperation and also discusses about the security, sustainable energy and agro fuels geo-political position and the great future course of action. as priority areas. For larger infrastructure potential it saw with respect to increased related projects, a recently signed Framework FDI by both China and India. Nepal could The meeting held elaborate discussions Agreement with the European Investment become a major transit economy and on the state of development cooperation Bank will enable the Bank to start operations operate as a transit corridor in the context between the European Union and Nepal. in the country. Both the sides agreed that of a larger Asian Highway Network. It took stock of the existing political the EIB involvement in Nepal would enable situation in Nepal and discussed about Nepal to develop its significant hydropower On Human Rights, Foreign Secretary the possible ways of restoring normalcy potential through a first project with an EIB Bhattarai referred to the National Human and moving ahead to hold the elections loan of some EUR 40 million. Rights Commission which had been to the Constituent Assembly at the upgraded to a constitutional body. The earliest possible. Nepal highlighted its role as chair of the LDCs GoN was making an effort to integrate HR and the importance of the Istanbul in all development plans. On the Truth Foreign Secretary Durga Prasad Bhattarai Programme of Action and expressed its and Reconciliation Commission he stated pointed out that the EU was welcome to appreciation of the EU's support to the LDCs, that several models were being studied observe the elections but that the Election as largest provider of ODA. Nepal sees the and there was a strong commitment of Commission would send out an official IPOA as a landmark achievement for the the GoN in having it established as soon invitation. He referred to the useful EU LDCs and has identified promotion of as possible. EOM in 2008, whose recommendations investments in LDCs alongside aid for trade l 2 EU NEPAL NEWS Newsletter of the Delegation of the European Union to Nepal Practical Action and the EU join hands to help 4,000 informal waste workers O ver the last few decades Kathmandu situation. The project is directly targeting environment. Not only is the project Valley has witnessed rapid urbanization. 4,000 informal waste workers (of which providing access to healthcare, education The rural exodus, lack of jobs as well as 35% women) working in five and micro-saving, but in cooperation with lack of skills in a large part of the labour municipalities of Kathmandu Valley. Practical Action the groups have been force, have created a substantial informal organising street dramas, health camps, sector in which most workers are "Through the PRISM project, perceptions awareness raising campaigns and public employed in low-paid jobs, often under towards waste pickers are changing. It is service advertisements to reduce the very poor working conditions. a two-sided approach; waste pickers feel waste picker stigma.