SPP – The Newest Geopolitical Hot Potato in Nepal
The State Partnership Program (SPP) has become the new geopolitical hot potato in Nepal only a few months after the MCC debacle was laid to rest with an eventual parliamentary ratification. While SPP began as a humanitarian and disaster response training program, according to the national guard website, SPP is a “partner focused, strategically aligned”…
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United Nation Team Visits Xinjiang
Since 2018, OCHR has been negotiating with China for visiting Xinjiang with“unfettered, meaningful access” and the freedom to interview civil society groups without supervision. On March 2022, the negotiation led to an agreement “on the parameters that respects methodology”, including “unfettered access to a broad range of actors, including civil society”. This is the first…
Russia-Ukraine Conflict and its Impact on Nepal
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing since 24 February 2022. Even though Russia and Ukraine have been at war since 2014, Russia has now entered Ukraine for the past 5 weeks using military force. Many are killed, infrastructures destroyed and now an attack on Mariupol is ongoing. Russia’s attack on Ukraine has shaken…
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MCC Discourse Intensified over Fatima’s Visit
The visit of MCC vice president Fatema Z Sumar and deputy vice president Jonathan Brooks in the second week of September triggered the ongoing years old debate over the MCC grant to Nepal to a new level. On the eve of top officials visit to Nepal, MCC sent back the replies to 11 major questions…
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Time to rewrite the constitution
“It is time to move beyond the idea of political stability to the idea of constitutional stability.” Prime Minister KP Oli’s move to dissolve Parliament has unleashed a phase of political uncertainty which could devour more than the legislative body. Oli’s political endgame is not clear; it has brought into play internal political conflict, foreign…
News Digest: International Relations & Foreign Affairs (February 3 – 9, 2022)
Nepal received 800,000 doses of Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccines from the U.K. through the COVAX facility on February 8. This is a part of 2.1 million AstraZeneca vaccines that the U.K. pledged to provide Nepal. 50,000 metric tons of urea and 63,535 metric tons of DAP fertilizer imports have been halted due to the Chinese…
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News Digest International Relations & Foreign Affairs (January 27- February 2)
Israel sent the consignment of 563 thousand syringes to Nepal on February 2. This consignment is an addition to previous assistance to help the Nepal government combat Covid-19. Australian Ambassador Felicity Volk held a meeting with Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Pampha Bhusal on January 31. In the meeting, the ambassador expressed the Australian…
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News Digest: International Relations & Foreign Affairs (January 20 – 26, 2022)
Nepal has been elected a member of four UN bodies, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the UN Commission on Narcotics (CND), the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD), and the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD). India has conveyed to independent electricity producers…
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News Digest: International Relations & Foreign Affairs (January 13 – 19, 2022)
Traders and businesspersons protested the undeclared border blockade in Kerung and Tatopani checkpoints in Kathmandu on January 12. As per the customs office, only nine trucks from Kerung and 11 from Tatopani are allowed to enter Nepal. Previously, 200 to 250 containers of goods entered Nepal daily. Earlier, there used to be correspondence with Chinese…
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News Digest: International Relations & Foreign Affairs (January 6 – 12, 2022)
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s visit to India was canceled after the Gujrat state government suspended the Vibrant Gujrat Summit due to increasing Covid-19 cases. However, both the countries have laid the basis for PM’s visit, such as signing eight memorandums of understanding in various sectors. Thus, Deuba is likely to visit India soon. Foreign…
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April Analysis: International Relations
On the diplomatic front, the flurry of high-level foreign visits and engagements indicate that Nepal has once again found itself amidst heightened geopolitical activity. While Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi’s visit after the ratification of the MCC compact was more symbolic in nature, there was little headway on BRI. Prime Minister Deuba’s visit…
March Analysis: International Relations and Foreign Affairs
Foreign engagements have ramped up and Nepal has once again found itself in a geopolitical focus in the context of intensifying great power rivalry. The parliamentary ratification of MCC after much debate came as a moral and informational warfare defeat for China in Nepal. The announcement of China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave rise to…
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February Analysis: International Relations and Foreign Affairs
On February 6, a letter jointly endorsed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and NCP (Maoist-center) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal to MCC headquarters was disclosed. The letter expressed the commitment to pass the MCC by the parliament. In response to the letter sent to the MCC board by the ruling coalition leaders, MCC has indicated that failing to ratify MCC in Parliament within February 28 may result in consequences like reductions in aid and foreign direct investments from the U.S. and other countries
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January Analysis: International Relations & Foreign Affairs
The parliament’s International Relations Committee has formed a ‘Foreign Policy Study Sub-committee to study the overall foreign affairs of the country. The committee has created a five-member sub-committee under the coordination of UML MP Deepak Prakash Bhat. The sub-committee’s role is to provide suggestions and assistance to the new foreign policy, which the Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka will devise. The sub-committee will also study all the issues from the organizational and structural shortcomings in foreign affairs and submit a report with recommendations.
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Annual Analysis: Global Affairs
Analysts argued that the loosely regulated Indo-Nepal border would cause the flow of Afghan refugees into Nepal. However, Nepal has always looked towards India in the anticipation of a refugee crisis which would only occur if India allowed lapses in its security mechanisms. Other analysts also pointed out that the effects of the Taliban takeover can be observed in radicalization and fundamentalist activities.
News Digest (July 02– July 08, 2020)
The discrimination faced by transgender community in society is persistent and the government lacks in taking sufficient action to ensure their rights.
Monthly News Analysis – July 2019
Summary Federalism and democratization followed by credible transfer of power to the intermediate classes—people who provide support to the political elites in return for privileges and benefits—has helped Nepal attain relative peace and stability. The possibility of political and social stability depends on many factors including the relations between the state, political elites, and the…
Monthly News Analysis – June 2019
Summary The US has been tightening its grip in the South Asian region alluring the countries with additional financial assistance. Nepal as a country in South Asian region cannot remain unaffected of the US assertion and has already received a huge commitment under the MCC. However, Nepal should have a coherent foreign policy in projecting…
News Digest June 8-14, 2019
Ruling Party Policy, Programmes, and Budget Members of the National Assembly expressed doubt over effective implementation of the budget. The members in the discussion at the Assembly claimed that budget was estimated without any homework.[1] Likewise, Financial Comptroller General Office reported that the government spent only 46.22 percent of budget in the current fiscal year.…
News Digest (August 13 – August 19, 2020)
40 District Administration Offices (DOPs) have imposed partial or complete prohibition in different areas after a spike in the Coronavirus cases.
Nepal’s Cross Border Relations with China
On January 28, 2022, the Center for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organized a virtual discussion entitled “Nepal’s Cross-border Relations with China.” CESIF’s researcher, Ms. Shraddha Ghimire presented her findings for the research on the same topic at the webinar. Discussants for the topic included Honorable Mr. Divya Mani Rajbhandari, a member of the Foreign…
Proceedings Report: Nepal-India Border Relations
Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF), Nepal organized a webinar on Nepal-India Border Relations on 26th November, 2021. Discussants included: Ajaya Bhadra Khanal, Research Director at CESIF Nepal. Summera Shrestha, Executive Director for Women for Human Rights. Senior Journalist and Analyst, Chandrakishore and Hon’ble Malamati Rana, Member of the Parliament of the Sudhurpaschim Provincial…
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Discussing Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties
Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF), Nepal organized a discussion on Ranjit Rae’s Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties which took place on 25th October, 2021, at The Soaltee Kathmandu. Discussant panel included: noted author – Amish Mulmi; Assistant Professor – Apekshya Shah; eminent scholar, Prof. Dr. Lokraj Baral; former Prime Minister and Chairperson of…
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Nepal’s connectivity with China: Status and Prospects
CESIF (Center for Social Inclusion and Federalism) organized a webinar on September 27, 2021, to discuss on the topic of Nepal’s connectivity with China. The webinar was opened by Shraddha Ghimire, a research fellow at CESIF by presenting the key findings of her research titled ‘Nepal-China Transit Transport Agreement (TTA): An Analysis’. The presentation was…
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Chinese Border Encroachment in Humla
As a small landlocked country sandwiched between two giants—India and China—Nepal’s sensitivity for territorial integrity and sovereignty stands out as particularly strong. Never formally colonized, Nepali people appear extra possessive towards their country’s natural heritages and historical richness and have a strong emotional attachment. Therefore, any sort of attack on Mt. Everest and Gautam Buddha,…
Nepal’s trade relations with its neighbors and the role of economic diplomacy
Photo: RSS Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organized a webinar on February 24, 2020, focusing on “Nepal’s trade relations with its neighbors and the role of economic diplomacy.” Speakers: Mr Purushottam Ojha – He served as the Secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies. He is currently a freelance consultant in the…
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Disputes on the Northern Border of Nepal—The Case of Humla
Photo: RSS Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) held an event on February 9, 2021, focusing on ‘Disputes on the Northern Border of Nepal – The Case of Humla’ at Hotel Summit, Sanepa, Lalitpur. Jiwan Bahadur Shahi, Karnali Province’s opposition Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker, was the chief presenter at the event. Former Director…
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BRI Summit Re-strengthening International Relations
International relations, being interdisciplinary in nature, connects nations from political, economic and cultural aspects. The practices and trends in global interstate system stimulate individual states to behave in the favor of its national interest. National policies and agendas are built to blend with the global trends within the boundaries of international laws. One state’s processes,…
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