Mayors and Senior representatives of nine municipalities in Nepal
During the morning of 14 November, GGGI in partnership with Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Ministry of Urban Development, and the Ministry of Population and Environment launched the Green Municipality Development Program, in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The launch marked the official start of what will be a long-term program, designed jointly by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development and GGGI. The Green Municipality Development Program will support newly reclassified and emerging municipalities across Nepal in identifying and optimizing green growth opportunities. “There is urgent need for new and fast-growing municipalities to ensure they follow a clean, green development trajectory,” said Mr Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, Secretary, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development.
The launch was followed by a one-day national consultation with Mayors and Chief Administrative Officers from nine municipalities. “Nepal is urbanizing,” said Mr Shambhu KC, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development. “And we need to ensure that we urbanize in a way that delivers outcomes in line with Nepal’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, Habitat III New Urban Agenda Nepal Plan of Action and the National Urban Development Strategy.” The consultation explored initial findings from GGGI-led field research, including consultations and focus group discussions held in participating municipalities. The nine municipalities discussed initial findings, strengthened prioritization, and led explorations into new areas for customized solution sets for common municipal challenges.
“We are here because we need to deliver results that matter, and because we know that green growth is important for this,” said Mr. Rameshwor Shrestha, Mayor of Mahalaxmi. In addition, mayors and senior representatives from the municipalities of Dakshinkali, Thaha, Melamchi, Namoboudha, Palungtar, Belkot Gadi, Changunarayan and Godawari attended the consultation and contributed actively to discussions. “GGGI can support municipalities to identify, conceptualize and develop projects for green investment through planning and capacity development to support transformational change,” said Dr. Donovan Storey, Deputy Director, GGGI.
Nepal Green Municipal Development Program Launch
Over the upcoming months, GGGI in partnership with the municipalities sand federal government will be preparing detailed, customized ‘Municipal Green Growth Assessment Reports’ for each municipality. These reports will Identify and conceptualize a range of green growth opportunities in each municipality, and will be delivered to partners early in 2018. Opportunities identified will form the basis of subsequent work under the program. “We look forward to working closely with our partners, at both the local and national levels, to deliver strong value and technical assistance into the future,” said Dr. Prasoon Agarwal, Country Representative, Nepal.
GGGI has been operating in Nepal since 2015, where it is embedded in the Ministry of Population 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.