Kathmandu, December 9
The International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction (ICNR) concluded here today with a declaration in presence of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) organized the ICNR to share its achievements, experience and learning from the post-earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation with the national and international communities.
Addressing the closing session, Prime Minister Deuba expressed gratitude to all friendly countries, international agencies and community for their contribution in the rescue and relief works soon after the April 2015 earthquake and the post-earthquake reconstruction.
Saying that the post-earthquake reconstruction has contributed to the national economy, PM Deuba said that Nepal successfully managed to turn destruction into an opportunity with the confidence of building back better.
“Six years after the devastating earthquake, the reconstruction and rehabilitation works have reached a completion stage,” he said, adding, “We have gained knowledge on disaster risk adaptation and resilience at the cost of the devastating earthquake.”
Former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the opposition CPN (UML) Bishnu Poudel thanked the NRA for taking the reconstruction to a completion stage and said that the international community’s support was crucial in realizing this objective. He said that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) needs to be independent and given full power to develop Nepal as a disaster-resilient country.
Chief Executive Officer of the NRA Sushil Gyewali informed that the participants of the conference exchanged many positive practices and shared experience and learning of the reconstruction and rehabilitation. He expressed confidence that these learning will not only be useful for the future generation but will be an example in the international stage.
The declaration has stressed on the need to build the capacity of local governments in planning, technical and managerial capabilities and provide clear mandate, structure, rights and autonomy to the NDRRMA to meet the goal of building a disaster-resilient Nepal.
Chair of Municipal Association of Nepal Ashok Kumar Byanju said that the local governments played important role in the reconstruction and stressed on building capacity of the local bodies in disaster risk reduction and management.
Chinese ambassador Hou Yanqi, First Secretary of Indian Embassy Karun Banshal, Nepal Director of the Asian Development Bank Arnaud Cauchois, Nepal Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development Sepideh Keyvanshad, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency Yumiko Asakuma and Director of the Indo-Pacific of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK Ben Miller spoke at the closing session expressing their satisfaction on Nepal’s achievements on reconstruction.
Vice President of the World Bank for South Asia Hartwig Schafer and Kanni Wignaraja, Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Development Program sent recorded video messages expressing their willingness to support in disaster risk reduction and management sector in Nepal in coming days.
Ten different sessions on various thematic issues were held today.
