Kathmandu, August 26: India, China and the World Bank have immediately coordinated to provide financial assistance for the rescue of flood victims and reconstruction in disaster-hit Nepal.
Shortly after news of the floods emerged, at 10:35 a.m., David Sislen, the World Bank’s Country Director for Nepal, informed Finance Minister Dr. Swornim Wagle that up to Rs 25 billion could be mobilised from various sources as emergency assistance.
India, Nepal’s southern neighbour and a close friend, has asked the government to provide a list of relief materials immediately required for flood victims. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said, while coordinating with the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and other senior ministers, that preparations were underway to bring Indian relief supplies to Kathmandu today.
Similarly, China, Nepal’s northern neighbour and close friend, is also set to provide immediate cash assistance. Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming has urged the Nepal government, through the Finance Minister, to initiate the process of transferring the funds.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the government for the generous commitments of assistance from neighbouring countries and donor agencies, Finance Minister Dr. Swornim Wagle said that inter-governmental coordination was underway to discuss the modalities for receiving and utilising the assistance.
The government’s efforts to mobilise domestic and external assistance gained momentum after a Cabinet meeting held today declared the affected municipalities of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading as “disaster crisis zones.”
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