Nepalese officials were quick to assure the international development community that money earmarked for the country’s relief and rehabilitation efforts following two earthquakes that killed almost 9,000 people will be spent transparently, ensuring every cent will translate to improving people’s lives.
Speaking Thursday at a donor conference in the capital Kathmandu, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala vowed his government will make sure transparency remains at the “core of the reconstruction effort” while leaving “no stone unturned in making sure that … support reaches the intended beneficiaries.”
The conference, which gathered several movers and shakers in the international development community, drew more than $3 billion in pledges. Including previously announced commitments from India and China, Nepal has received about $4.4 billion — two-thirds of the $6.7 billion estimated need — in promised funds to finance reconstruction and recovery efforts in the South Asian nation.
Read more stories on the Nepal earthquake and response:
► The gender factor in Nepal's reconstruction
► Will donor conference address customs bottlenecks delaying aid efforts in Nepal?
► The race for safer hospitals in quake-hit Nepal
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
