Nepal Mountains, Maoists,

Monarchists,and the MDGs

Development aid in a country where the opportunities are unique and the challenges sky-high.

Johannes Chudoba, UN Peace Support Coordinator, Kathmandu

StructureStructure

IntroductionIntroduction General background on NepalGeneral background on Nepal Millennium Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals and

Human Development IndicatorsHuman Development Indicators Political contextPolitical context OutlookOutlook

IntroductionIntroduction

Mountains, Maoists, Monarchists, Mountains, Maoists, Monarchists, the the Media, - and the MDGsMedia, - and the MDGs• General tools for looking at developing General tools for looking at developing

countriescountries• Individual / unique case of NepalIndividual / unique case of Nepal• Critique of the media and our Critique of the media and our

“absorption capacity”“absorption capacity”

Background on NepalBackground on NepalArea: 147,000 km2 (twice Austria), somewhat larger than Greece Area: 147,000 km2 (twice Austria), somewhat larger than Greece

arable land: 16%arable land: 16%Population: 28,200,000 – however millions not registeredPopulation: 28,200,000 – however millions not registered

average age: 20.3 yearsaverage age: 20.3 yearsIndependence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah); never conquered Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah); never conquered

/ colonised/ colonisedGDP (official exchange rate): $6.6 billion (2005 est.); agriculture: 38%, GDP (official exchange rate): $6.6 billion (2005 est.); agriculture: 38%,

industry: 21%, services: 41% (2005 est.) industry: 21%, services: 41% (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2.7% (2005 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,400 (2005 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,400 (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products: Agriculture - products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries: Industries: tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick productioncigarettes, cement and brick production

Politics: Politics: Ex-Monarchy, following People’s Movement and 10 years of People’s Ex-Monarchy, following People’s Movement and 10 years of People’s War (Maoists fought the establishment between 1996 and 2006)War (Maoists fought the establishment between 1996 and 2006)

e.g. https://cia.gov/cia//publications/factbook/geos/np.htmle.g. https://cia.gov/cia//publications/factbook/geos/np.html

Millennium Development Goal 1Millennium Development Goal 1

Poverty & hungerPoverty & hunger

Millennium Development Goal 2Millennium Development Goal 2 Primary education for all Primary education for all

Millennium Development Goal 3Millennium Development Goal 3

Gender equalityGender equality

Millennium Development Goal 4Millennium Development Goal 4 Child Child

mortalitymortality

Millennium Development Goal 5Millennium Development Goal 5

Maternal healthMaternal health

Millennium Development Goal 6Millennium Development Goal 6 HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malariaHIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria

Millennium Development Goal 7Millennium Development Goal 7 Environmental sustainability and safe waterEnvironmental sustainability and safe water

Millennium Development Goal 8Millennium Development Goal 8 Global partnership / infrastructureGlobal partnership / infrastructure

Human Development IndicatorsHuman Development IndicatorsHDI value Life expectancy at birth Adult literacy rate

(years) (% ages 15 and older)1. Norway (0.965) 1. Japan (82.2) 1. Georgia (100.0)136. Ghana (0.532) 127. Solomon Islands (62.6) 116. Pakistan (49.9)137. Bangladesh (0.530) 128. Turkmenistan (62.5) 117. Côte d'Ivoire (48.7)138. Nepal (0.527) 129. Nepal (62.1) 118. Nepal (48.6)139. Papua New Guinea (0.523) 130. Yemen (61.1) 119. Central African Republic (48.6)140. Congo (0.520) 131. Myanmar (60.5) 120. Bhutan (47.0)177. Niger (0.311) 177. Swaziland (31.3) 128. Mali (19.0)

Combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio GDP per capita(%) (PPP US$)1. Australia (113.2) 1. Luxembourg (69,961)135. Morocco (57.8) 145. Côte d'Ivoire (1,551)136. Bangladesh (57.1) 146. Togo (1,536)137. Nepal (57.0) 147. Nepal (1,490)138. Madagascar (56.5) 148. Uganda (1,478)139. Yemen (55.4) 149. Rwanda (1,263)172. Niger (21.5) 172. Sierra Leone (561)

Human Development IndexHuman Development Index

Political ContextPolitical Context Independence: 1768; never conquered / colonisedIndependence: 1768; never conquered / colonised 1951: end of century-old system of hereditary premiers - 1951: end of century-old system of hereditary premiers -

cabinet systemcabinet system 1990: multiparty democracy within a constitutional 1990: multiparty democracy within a constitutional

monarchy. monarchy. 1996: Maoists’ “people’s war”1996: Maoists’ “people’s war” 2001: crown prince massacred ten members of the royal 2001: crown prince massacred ten members of the royal

family, including the king and queenfamily, including the king and queen 2002: the new king dismissed the prime minister and his 2002: the new king dismissed the prime minister and his

cabinet for "incompetence" cabinet for "incompetence" February 2005 the King dissolved the government, declared February 2005 the King dissolved the government, declared

a state of emergency, imprisoned party leaders, and a state of emergency, imprisoned party leaders, and retained absolute power until April 2006. retained absolute power until April 2006.

After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament to reconvene on 28 April 2006. parliament to reconvene on 28 April 2006.

OutlookOutlook

Maoists and Seven Party Alliance (SPA) Maoists and Seven Party Alliance (SPA) have moved the Peace Process at an have moved the Peace Process at an enormous pace; challenges ahead: enormous pace; challenges ahead: • Interim ConstitutionInterim Constitution• Interim GovernmentInterim Government• Constitutional Assembly ElectionsConstitutional Assembly Elections• Demobilisation, disarmament and reintegrationDemobilisation, disarmament and reintegration• Security sector reform, justice sector reformSecurity sector reform, justice sector reform