On June 27-28, 2018, over a two-day workshop, GGGI in partnership with Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the Ministry of Forests and Environment and participating municipalities explored projects, policies and tools for greening Nepal’s urbanization. The workshop was conducted in Kathmandu, Nepal, as part of the Green Municipal Development Program which GGGI and the Government of Nepal are jointly implementing. It was attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, as well as Joint- and Under-Secretaries, mayors, chief administrative officers and senior officials from eleven municipalities and development partners.
The workshop was the second conducted under what will be a long-term program. The Green Municipal Development Program supports newly reclassified and growing municipalities across Nepal in identifying and optimizing green growth opportunities. As part of the workshop, GGGI and its partners launched seven green municipal growth assessments, conducted during 2017-18 for each of the seven municipalities participating in the program. “These assessments help us to focus on green priorities at the local level,” said Mr Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, Secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration. “We need now to boost local financing and revenue generation to ensure implementation.”
The workshop also included customized capacity development from local and international experts on the topics of green urban planning, sustainable waste management and agribusiness. The second day of the workshop was focused on providing municipalities with practical tools and strategies to advance localized green growth through budgeting, revenue generation, asset management and green financing.
“The workshop was very useful and interesting,” said Mr. T.P Sharma, Mayor of the Municipality of Namobuddha, one of the seven participating in the program. The other six participating municipalities include Belkotgadhi, Dakshinkali, Mahalaxmi, Melamchi, Palungtar and Thaha, located in Nepal’s Provinces 3 and 4. In addition, four observer municipalities joined for the workshop, namely Banepa, Godawari, Kageshori Manohara and Suryabinayk. “GGGI will now look to support municipalities to implement the priority projects which these assessments have highlighted,” said Dr. Donovan Storey, Deputy Director, GGGI.
GGGI has been operating in Nepal since 2015, where it is embedded in the Ministry of Forests and Environment. Over 2017-2018, in addition to the Green Municipality Development Program, GGGI Nepal is implementing the Electric Mobility Program in partnership with the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Population and Environment.
The seven assessments are available in Nepali and English from www.gggi.org/country/nepal.