'We have to learn to navigate through wolf world'

Marc Saxer is a political analyst and author who has lived and worked in Asia for two decades. He recently published Geopolitical Conflict in the Wolf World: Great Power Competition and the Illiberal Revolt against the Liberal Order. Ritu Raj Subedi, Modnath Dhakal and Arpana Adhikari caught up with Saxer to talk about his book, changing world order and international cooperation while he was in Kathmandu to launch the book. Excerpts:

The very term 'Wolf World' in the name of your book gives an impression of a dreadful picture of the global system. What kind of world is it actually? Could you briefly describe it?

The 'wolf world' is actually an analogy presented in a book by Thomas Hobbes in the 17th century during the English Civil War. Referring to the violence, anarchy, and upheaval then, he famously said, when the law of the jungle rules, a man is another man's wolf. I'm using this quote because I believe that after the end of the American-led world order. What is being called the liberal world order is actually a world in disorder.

This is backed by numbers as well. The Peace Research Institute of Oslo has measured that in 2025 there was more violent conflict and interstate war since World War II. So, you see that after the end of Pax Americana, violence is really flaring up all over the world. We have two major wars in Europe and the Middle East, and we have a situation where the rules of the game are eroding very fast. Great powers are ridiculing the rules, let alone disobeying them. That creates a new disorder in the world. The title of the book alludes to this danger. As you said, it's dreadful; it's not a good world that is emerging. But what the book does is actually exploring ways how to manoeuvre it, how to navigate it, and how to overcome it.

The Pax Americana is fading, with the world moving into a chaotic multipolar world order. Are you still nostalgic for Pax Americana?

I've been in Asia for 20 years, especially in this part of the world. What people tell me is, there's never been a liberal world order. This has always been a 'wolf world'. I understand that criticism has a lot to do with the double standards of the West, and also with the situation elsewhere. The world was indeed always a violent place. But as I said, it is getting increasingly more violent everywhere, and the trend will continue. So, I'm not nostalgic for Pax Americana, but I would say that a world that has some order, has some rules of the game, is a world that is more stable and therefore is less violent than an anarchical world.

The liberal order is cracking under the weight of its own internal structural contradictions, like that of the collapse of communism in the early 1990s. Wasn't it inevitable?

It is a twin crisis of liberalism. There is a mutual-reinforcing cycle where you see, on the one hand, that whatever you may want to call the liberal world order is collapsing. And this has implications for the hegemony of liberal thought within our liberal democracies. And this process is really reinforcing. This is not something that happened overnight. The collapse or the erosion of the liberal world order has a lot to do with the re-emergence of great powers, including China and India. So, this historical anomaly that the United States was so powerful, what you call the unipolar moment, is over. And you see that the United States is structurally overstretched militarily, financially, and politically.

Militarily, because there are three main primary theatres of geopolitical conflict where the US hegemony is simultaneously challenged. That is by Russia and Europe, by Iran and the Middle East, and by China and East Asia, which is still peaceful. For all the great powers, there is a zero-sum game between these theatres. Russia is bogged down in Ukraine. It lost Syria in the Middle East. The US is bogged down in the Persian Gulf. On the very contrary, you see the US is actually pulling out its navy from the South China Sea. It's pulling out its missile defence from the Korean Peninsula. It's pulling out paratroopers from Japan in order to sustain its war effort. So, that means it's militarily overstretched. The US is going towards US$39 trillion in debt. It has lost its AAA rating. So, the issue of the world reserve currency now has question marks over its fiscal sustainability.

An illiberal government in the White House has declared the very order that the United States has founded and guaranteed for 80 years obsolete. So, Trump is directly attacking not only liberal institutions in the US, but also liberal institutions on the global level. The USA has dismantled the liberal mission, which is promoting democracy and human rights, and is attacking directly free trade and the liberal international economic order. And it is defunding multilateralism, the United Nations, treaties like the Climate Treaty, COP, etc. So, the liberal hegemon is declaring the order that it founded and led for 80 years obsolete. What Francis Fukuyama called the end of history is basically the idea that somehow, at some point, all of us will develop into illiberal democracy.

You are prescribing a new social contract for the survival of liberalism. But your recipe also appears fragile in the wolf world. Who will be the real parties to this new global deal?

We have to be a bit careful if we talk about the West or if we talk about any other countries like Nepal while assigning the categories. However, I am of the strong view that the social contract is also obsolete in Europe. Basically, the economic model that was sustaining the German economy, the French economy, the Swedish economy, and even the US economy is no longer working. And you basically have to change almost every paradigm from defence policy to foreign, energy, industrial, fiscal, education, and migration policies.

In the last 30 years of German politics, nothing has happened that was more costly than 0.1 per cent of the GDP. All the political battles, all the political upheavals, governments are falling over 0.1 per cent of GDP. And now you want to redistribute 5 per cent of GDP. How do you finance that? You can either cut the welfare state and end the social transfers to the lower third of the population. You can tax the working middle class, or you can basically tax the rich. None of that is possible in the existing social contract, which means the social contract is obsolete. So, you see several political upheavals. Why there is a new prime minister in Great Britain every six months. Why is there such a fragile government in Germany? Why is there a possibility that France goes to the right wing? Because the social contract is obsolete. It no longer works. So, if you say what I'm suggesting is fragile, that's correct. But what I say is that the old social contract is over anyway, and we have to really think about what new social contract could actually work in this world.

The shift to the might-based international order from the rule-based one has wearied the nations and people alike. What will its implications be for peace and development?

Unfortunately, one of the major differences is that war as a means of politics, as Carl von Clausewitz said, is back. We see that in action everywhere. Coercion as a means of geoeconomics is back. We see that everywhere. So, basically, it's not only that there is no longer universally accepted rules, but also the unwritten rules of the game of change.

You cannot have export-led growth in a protectionist world. And you cannot do catch-up industrialisation if technology transfers are weaponised, if value chains are weaponised. And if industrial policy in every major economy, especially China, means that there is so much overcapacity that these industrial overcapacities would be dumped in your market, which would wipe out your domestic industries, and that actually means de-industrialisation. So, for a lot of countries in the region, development now is going backwards. And that means, in the wolf world, we have to learn how to manoeuvre between great powers not only if there is rivalry, but also when it comes to economic development.

Where do you get your energy, critical minerals and weapons if it's no longer possible to buy it on the world market? Geo-economics means that the main distribution mechanism is no longer a free market. Most of the countries in the region are saying that they want to hedge and balance. It sounds very good on paper, but if you need to do all the things that you need to do, you need to be aligned.

You have suggested Europe should focus on territorial defense, stabilisation of its neighbourhood, selective hedging among great powers and pursuit of strategic autonomy within a reformed EU. Can this idea be exported to other regions, such as SAARC and ASEAN?

Let’s start with Europe, because Europe is currently in a very vulnerable position for several reasons. First, the EU is a historically unique experiment, a kind of super-state built through treaties and law rather than as a traditional nation-state. It is, in a sense, a micro rule-based order. The question is whether such a rule-based order like Europe can survive in a wolf world where rules are increasingly being challenged.

Second, Europe has a war on its flank and there is growing doubt about the United States as a security guarantor.  The US has usually performed two functions. First, it secure Europe by keeping Russia out and second securing smaller European state against German hegemony. If the US withdraws as an offshore balancer, fears of German hegemony could return and potentially weaken the EU.

Third, Europe has lost ground economically and technically. I think Europe is in a very difficult situation and is vulnerable. Therefore, I would argue that Europe should focus on its own continent rather than distant regions where it has limited core interests. This strategy cannot simply be exported elsewhere. There is no other region as integrated as Europe. ASEAN comes closest, but it too faces internal divisions, with some members aligned with China and others with the US. And ASEAN has the principle to make decision unanimously. So that means both superpowers have veto power, which means that ASEAN could be paralyzed. So that means even ASEAN has big trouble and SAARC is not even close to that.

What should be the strategies of small nations like Nepal in the great power game?

Obviously, I’m not an expert on Nepal, but I can share what I have learned from other countries. If there is no consensus on a country’s overall geopolitical posture, external power will exploit it. If political camps orient towards different sides, the country can become a chessboard for great powers to divide and rule.

Domestic politics should be contested; that’s democracy. But when it comes to foreign policy, there should be some broad consensus, not on every policy but on the country’s overall orientation, whether to lean towards one side or the other, or remain neutral. Such consensus can help shield the country from external meddling.

Located between the two giants’ neighbours, Nepal faces difficulty in navigating geopolitical challenges. As a geopolitical expert, what would you like  to suggest for it to tackle problems in its neighbourhood as well as benefit from them?

Nepal’s greatest challenge is obviously being a landlocked country, with only two neighbours. It may be useful to look at Mongolia, which also has two large neighbours, Russia and China. Mongolia has developed a ‘third neighbour policy’ engaging countries such as the US, European states, Japan and South Korea, among others, to create more options and reduce its vulnerability. If you only have two borders, you cannot escape that reality. But engaging other countries gives you more options and having more options is certainly better than having none.

Published in The Rising Nepal on 20 August 2026.   

Nepali workers' outflow to GCC drops by 47 %

Kathmandu, May 19

Migrant worker outflows from Nepal to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has dropped by 45 per cent in February-March this year compared to the same period in 2025, according to a report of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) published on Tuesday.

This drop further widened to 47 per cent in March-April this year, as compared to last year.

In March this year, 26,561 Nepali workers renewed their labour permits to return to West Asian countries, while 28,383 received labour permits for new entry, according to the Department of Foreign Employment. But individuals receiving labour approval for the first time couldn’t reach their destination as the government had banned their travel.

On the contrary, in March 2025, more than 52,000 Nepalis received labour approval and left for jobs in GCC countries.

While the Philippines witnessed a massive decrease of 78 per cent on a year-on-year basis, Bangladesh's drop sits at 15 per cent.

According to the report 'Employment and Social Trends May 2026 Update: Growing labour market risks of the Middle East crisis', the West Asia crisis is increasingly affecting jobs, working conditions and incomes far beyond the region, as higher energy costs, disrupted transport routes, supply chain pressure, weaker tourism and migration constraints weigh on economies and labour markets.

After the war broke out between Israel-USA and Iran earlier this year, the security situation in the West Asian nation has significantly deteriorated. This has not only impacted the businesses and workers there but also the national and household economy in many developing countries in South Asia and Northern Africa.

The Arab States are the most directly exposed, through conflict-related disruption, damage to economic activity, displacement, energy and trade shocks, and pressure on migrant workers and refugees, read the report.

The ILO predicted that total working hours could fall by 1.3 per cent under rapid de-escalation. This could reach 3.7 per cent under a prolonged crisis and 10.2 per cent under a severe escalation. Such a decline is more than twice the scale recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. "Around 40 per cent of employment in the region is concentrated in high-exposure sectors such as construction, manufacturing, transport, trade and hospitality. Migrant workers are expected to bear a disproportionate share of labour market adjustment," read the report.

According to the recent news reports, jobs of about 80,000 Nepalis is at risk in Saudi Arabia following the suspension of the ambitious 'Future City' project.

“If the crisis disrupts both deployments and remittance flows, the effects could spread to consumption, poverty and local employment in countries of origin,” the report said.

 

Needs for rapid response mechanism

Meanwhile, a tripartite meeting among the government, Nepali missions abroad and the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) held on Tuesday, suggested to create a rapid response mechanism and operate it effectively to conduct timely rescue and repatriation of Nepalis in the conflict-affected countries.

The meeting discussed the safety and management of Nepali migrant workers in the conflict-affected countries in West Asia, and said that digital assistance system must be made effective and accessible.

The meeting, attended by the representatives of Labour Migration and Nepali Diaspora Coordination Division and concerned government and non-government agencies, suggested to immediately implement emergency rescue plans and safe transfer systems.

Stating that the coordination among the NRNA, Nepali missions and the government must be further strengthened and made more effective, the meeting recommended to make the crisis management and risk awareness mandatory components of pre-departure orientation training.

Other suggestions include updated data system for Nepali workers, access to psychological counselling, awareness campaign on foreign-employment-related fraud, and strengthened labour-related bilateral agreements.

Speaking at the meeting, Ramkaji Khadka, Head of the West Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), updated the status of Nepalis in West Asia and said that Nepali missions in the respective GCC countries are vigilant on the situation and are regular communication with the Ministry.

 

NRNA for a high-level coordination mechanism

Recalling the rescue, relief and rehabilitation of Nepalis from countries including the West Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic, president of the NRNA Dr. Hem Raj Sharma emphasised the need for effective cooperation among the government and non-government stakeholders.

"A high-level coordination mechanism should be established immediately between the MoFA, Ministry of Labour, Foreign Employment Department, Foreign Employment Board, Welfare Fund, and the NRNA, and an emergency response mechanism should be set up without delay," Sharma said.

He stated that the NRNA is ready to work alongside the government or through its own mechanisms to take immediate action in rescue, safe transfer, and relief management.

Following the conflict escalation, the government had formed a task force to study the situation of Nepalis in labour destination countries, including West Asia, and Emergency Response Team to assist in rescue and relief operations. The ILO report also noted Nepal's efforts in crisis monitoring and coordination, implementing helplines, emergency response and other support systems activated in countries of destination, including consular assistance, crisis monitoring and coordination, and repatriation assistance.

Nepal also suspended the labour permit to West Asian nation for about six weeks, effective from March this year. More than 30,000 Nepali nationals have returned from the conflict-affected countries, of whom, 21,000 are from Qatar alone.

According to the government statistics, there are 1.72 million Nepali migrant workers in 13 countries in the region whose safety has troubled the government here.

Nepalis in Iran, Israel, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lebanon, Iraq and Cyprus were or likely to be affected by the Israel-Iran war, MoFA had said.

The largest number of Nepalis are in the UAE with a presence of 478,144, followed by Saudi Arabia at 383,865, Qatar at 357,000, Kuwait at 175,000, and Iraq at 30,000. There are 11 Nepali citizens in Iran and 500 in Egypt.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 May 2026.

Foreign Ministry puts diplomatic efforts to ensure fair hearing for Jha

Kathmandu, May 18

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed on Monday that continuous diplomatic efforts are being undertaken through all available channels to ensure a fair hearing for Amrit Jha, a Nepali citizen who was arrested in Iran on charges of illegal smuggling and transportation of goods in Qeshm Island.

According to the latest information received by the Ministry, the team formed to prepare the Expert Report in the case is in the process of submitting its report to the court.

The expert team was formed about a month ago, according to the direction issued by an Iranian court.

"As the case pending before the local Iranian court will be resolved in accordance with Iranian law, continuous diplomatic efforts are being undertaken through all available channels to ensure, among other things, a fair hearing for Jha," the MoFA informed in a statement.

Iranian authorities had arrested Nepali citizen Amrit Jha along with six other foreign nationals from Qeshm Island in January 2026, before the war broke out between Israel-USA and Iran. Currently, he is being held in custody for judicial remand in Bandar Abbas.

In the same statement, the MoFA expressed regret over the confusion and inconvenience caused by the public dissemination of informal information regarding Jha's release while the case remained under consideration in an Iranian court, while he was in custody.

This confusion was caused by information shared by Nepal's honorary consul for Iran Shahram Shantiaee, with Nepal's ambassador in Qatar Kumar Rai. Based on Shantiaee informed Rai on April 15 that a letter was issued for Jha's release, and he was free.

Ambassador Rai updated Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai about the developments on Jha's release, as the matter has been turned into a great public concern here in Nepal.

Considering the difficult situation prevailing there, the immediate public concern regarding the Nepali citizen, the enquiries made by media outlets, and the fact that the matter had already reached Jha’s family, the Ministry issued a press statement the same day stating that informal information had been received regarding the release.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal also shared the information through social media.

But when the MoFA instructed the Embassy of Nepal in Doha to obtain written evidence of his release so that the process of his repatriation to Nepal could be initiated, the mission received an update that Jha had not yet been released, but the court had directed the preparation of an Expert Report in relation to the case.

 

FM Khanal seeks diaspora support in development

Meanwhile, FM Khanal invited the Nepali diaspora community to remain actively engaged as partners in building a prosperous and inclusive Nepal.

Launching a report 'Nepali Diaspora in Australia' as an event organsied by the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) in Kathmandu on Monday, he said that the Nepali diaspora in Australia represents one of Nepal’s national strengths.

He noted that education remains a key pillar of Nepal-Australia relations and emphasised that they serve as an important soft-power bridge strengthening mutual goodwill, cultural understanding and multifaceted partnerships beyond remittance, the MoFA said in its post on X.

The programme was also attended by Australian Ambassador to Nepal Simon Ernst, Non-Resident Nepalis, the private sector and researchers. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 May 2026.

Nepal objects to Indo-China Kailash route via Lipulek

 Kathmandu, May 3

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reiterated on Sunday evening that Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani, located east of the Mahakali River, are integral parts of Nepal, as established by the Treaty of Sugauli of 1816.

The Ministry issued a statement responding to the proposed operation of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route via Lipulek – passing through Nepali territory – between India and China.

The government has clarified Nepal's position responding to the queries and concerns raised by media and general people many of whom took to social media demanding government's statement on the recent development that undermined Nepal's sovereignty.

"The Government of Nepal has once again conveyed its clear position and concerns regarding the proposed Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route via Lipulek to both India and China through diplomatic channels," read the statement.

The government has urged India, in the past, not to undertake any activities in the area, including the construction or expansion of roads, border trade, or pilgrimage-related activities.

The MoFA also said that Nepal has formally informed China that the Lipulek area lies within Nepali territory.

It stated that in line with the spirit of the close and friendly relations between Nepal and India, Nepal remains committed to resolving the boundary issue through diplomatic means, on the basis of historical treaties, facts, maps and evidence.

According to previous foreign ministers, although the government had sent diplomatic notes to both India and China they did not respond to them.

Althought he 2016 Sugauli Treaty established the Mahakali river as Nepal's western boundary, following its war with China in 1962, India stationed its security forces in Kalapani. Nepal delayed objections to it enabled India to enhance infrastructure and accessibility to the northern border with China.

Although India had been claiming the Nepali territory since early 1950s, Nepal formally asked India to remove the Kalapani area from its map after the latter did so in November 2019.

In November 2019, India released a new map showing Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura within its territory. Nepal strongly protested and sought a talk with India but the latter turned deaf ears to it.

Next year, in May, India constructed an 80-km road connecting Dharchula and Lipulek pass, a Nepal-China border point. Nepal immediately protested and sent a diplomatic note to India demanding a halt to the unilateral action in its territory. The Kalapani area including Limpiyadhura and Lipulek covers about 350 square km.

Earlier, in 2015, when India and China signed an agreement to expand their bilateral trade through the Lipulek pass during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China, Nepal registered a formal protest stating that the two neighbours consented on using Nepali territory without seeking consent of the latter.

The road was inaugurated by Indian defense minister is used for strategic movement of military forces. Lipulek, located at 17,000 feet altitude, is a strategic location and main entry to the Mansarovar while a nearby Tinker Bhanjyang (pass) is a historic trade routh with touristic and strategic importance.

India has long been averting to accept the report of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India Relations for the past several years. The Group was mandated, by both Nepal and India, to review the entire relations between the two countries, including 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

In response to Nepal's stand on the issue, the Ministry of External Affairs of India said on Sunday evening that India has consistently maintained that such claims are not justified and not based on historical evidence.

“India’s position in this regard had been consistent and clear. Lipulek Pass has been a long-standing route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954 and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades. This is not a new development," read a statement issued by MEA Spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal.

However, the MEA said that India remained open to a constructive interaction with Nepal on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 May 2026.           

West Asia conflict can add challenge to nation economy

Kathmandu, Mar. 3

Dr. Ram Sharan Kharel, Executive Director of the Nepal Rastra Bank, said that the tensions in West Asia can have impacts on the price of goods and services.

"The price hike in the petroleum products will immediately impact the production and transportation cost which will result in growing price of the goods," he said speaking at an interaction on 'The West Asian Conflict's impact on Nepal’s economy and supply system’ organsied by Nepal Association of Financial Journalists (NAFIJ).

However, he maintained that since the inflation rate is around 2 per cent and the central bank has estimated to contain it below 5 per cent, the inflation risk is low.

According to Dr. Kharel, the country has enough foreign exchange reserves sufficient to cover the import of goods and services for 18 months. "But remittance can be impacted if the situation aggravates and gets prolonged. This will force Nepali migrant workers to return to their homes," he said.

Out of the 17 countries in the Middle East, Nepal receives remittances from 15. Of these, four countries account for 35 per cent of the total remittance inflow. If the conflict is not resolved in the short term, nearly 41 per cent of remittances could be affected, informed Dr. Kharel.

But he said that this can be an opportunity for Nepal. "Nepali industries and entrepreneurs are facing the shortage of workers. They can get workers for the short term. Meanwhile, the banking industry has enough liquidity which can be mobilised to the existing and new entrepreneurs in order to expand the business," he said.

This will create employment or self-employment for the youth.

Dr. Kharel said that the West Asian conflict had added yet another challenge to Nepal’s economy. “Just as the economy was beginning to return to normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, floods and landslides, and now the Iran–Israel conflict is once again likely to affect it,” he said.

There was excessive liquidity in the banking system, interest rates of banks and financial institutions had declined, and it was expected that liquidity management would improve once a new government was formed. However, the Middle East conflict has created renewed uncertainty, said Dr. Kharel.

Speaking on the occasion, Shiva Prasad Ghimire, Chair of the Transport Committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and a petroleum entrepreneur, said that an immediate shortage of petroleum products was unlikely.

He said that although the government and entrepreneurs must be concerned to the possible disruptions in the supply of petroleum products as well as essential commodities, consumers need not be worried.

“Nepal has experienced shortages of petroleum products for various reasons at different times. Therefore, whenever conflicts arise in different countries, a certain level of fear regarding shortages spreads in Nepal as well,” Ghimire said.

He stated that considering the overall situation, an immediate shortage of petroleum products does not appear likely.

Ghimire argued that although the current conflict could reduce production and create disruptions in the supply chain, its effects would not reach Nepal immediately. He also noted that only a few days ago, fears of a gas shortage had spread, leading the public to worry about a possible overall fuel crisis.

Likewise, trade expert Ravi Shankar Sainju said that Nepal should learn lessons from the escalating conflict in the Middle East and West Asia.

"The key issue is how the ongoing conflict in West Asian countries will affect Nepal’s economy and what lessons we should draw from it. In reality, we must learn how events in other countries can influence our economy and how to adopt precautionary measures,” he said.

He suggested to move forward by understanding the impact of external events on Nepal's internal economy.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 March 2026.      

Govt should reconsider TJ strategy: AF

Kathmandu, Nov. 21

Citing that the victims of the decade-long armed conflict and the rest of the country are still awaiting truth, justice, and reparations, the Advocacy Forum Nepal (AF) has stated that the interim government must reconsider its strategy regarding transitional justice (TJ).

In its Impunity Report of November 2025, released on Friday, the AF said that as the country marks the 19^th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which in November 2006 ended the armed conflict between the security forces and the then Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), victims and the rest of the country are still waiting for truth, justice, and reparations.

The recent Gen-Z protests signal how much people, and especially the younger generation, want accountability and respect for the rule of law, read the statement.

“Despite strong opposition from victims’ groups and civil society, the interim government has indicated its support for the current TJ commissions by agreeing to the policies governing the funding of these bodies,” read the statement. These commissioners were appointed by the previous government after a flawed selection process, bypassing the victims and undermining a transparent process. According to AF, many of those appointed lack expertise and are reported to be close to the mainstream political parties. 

The interim government, instead of reinitiating the selection process, has approved regulations to govern the commissions’ work and a budget for their activities. “This risks impunity being further entrenched in our country,” said Bikash Basnet, Executive Director of AF.

“Our system is such that impunity is the norm. We had impunity before the armed conflict, during the conflict, and ever since. And if the TJ commissions don’t deliver truth, justice, and reparations, we will continue to have impunity in the future,” he added.

According to him, a well-executed TJ process is essential to correcting the course of Nepal’s democratic journey and preventing the recurrence of violence, as witnessed in the past, including the very recent past.

The new AF report links the lack of TJ to the root causes behind the Gen-Z uprising in early September. It unpacks the interwoven threads between the protests of Gen-Z and those campaigning against past impunity: both are rejections of arbitrary power by elected representatives.

These are demands for measures that ensure transparency and accountability, and in both cases, there’s a rejection of political patronage and capture of public institutions undermining the merit and expertise of individuals serving those public institutions, said the AF.

It said that there are concerns that the commission set up by the interim government to investigate what happened on September 8 and 9 may face the same fate as previous commissions. Although it collects evidence, interviews members of the security forces, political parties, and invites them to give evidence, it analyses the chain of command and the role of security forces, including the Nepal army.

“As seen time and again, the commissions should not be a vehicle to pacify the call for accountability and to entrench impunity. It should contribute to ensuring that no one will remain above the law in the new regime,” read the statement from AF.

The AF report makes a number of recommendations to the interim government, the international community, and to any new TJ bodies set up after a fully consultative process. Chiefly among them are the reconstitution of the TJ bodies after genuine consultation with victims, the vetting of alleged perpetrators, stopping them from leaving the country, establishing a comprehensive policy on reparations, and initiating a public debate around reform of the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army, bureaucracy, and the judiciary.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 November 2025.

I count on merit while making govt appointments: PM Oli

Kathmandu, May 15

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed his desire to appoint a capable individual to the vacant position of Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) based on merit rather than personal connections.

“I have no one to place at the Rastra Bank. The intention is to appoint someone capable based on meritocracy. If the person is competent, the country will benefit. There is no need for 'my person'," he said while speaking at the launching of the Former Planners’ Forum Nepal (FPFN) in Kathmandu on Thursday.

The FPFN is a platform comprising former vice-chairs and members of the National Planning Commission (NPC) established with an aim to support the governments in evidence-based policymaking and foster inclusive development in Nepal.

PM Oli further said, "I may be the Prime Minister, but I am not the government alone. Therefore, I strive to prioritise meritocracy as much as possible.”

He also maintained that the appointments to the positions of chairperson and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) were made based on the recommendations of the selection committee, ensuring that competent individuals were appointed.

Apart from knowing one of the commission chairs during his time as chief secretary, he said he had no personal acquaintance or relationship with any of the appointees.

"We have tried to appoint the persons with qualification and expertise," said PM Oli.

Earlier on Wednesday, the government appointed officials for the two transitional justice bodies, completing the formation of the TRC and the CIEDP.

A Cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening approved the names recommended by the committee led by former Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra.

Wishing for an exchange of ideas and experiences through the FPFN, PM Oli expressed hopes for institutional sustainability of the organisation without any clashes of personalities.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chairman of the NPC, Prof. Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari, said that there has not been a significant shift in macro-economic policies adopted by the governments over time. "We need an impactful reform in the public sector, especially at the implementation of development projects," he said.

He stated that the NPC is in a phase of gradual reform.

He noted that, in the past, any project could be included under the banner of 'development project' due to the lack of a clear definition. However, that practice has now been discontinued. Dr. Adhikari informed that the project bank has been revised, older projects have been archived, and a fresh approach has been initiated.

He further shared that while not a single project was submitted from Madhes Province last year, this year the highest number of projects has come from the same province.

Former VC of the NPC, Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri, said that it was unfortunate that the post of Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank has become a contentious political agenda. "For a country that is in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force, not having the leader at the central bank cannot be a good sign," he said.

Trade expert Dr. Poshraj Pandey, former member of the NPC and vice-chairperson of FPFN, and Dr. Dilli Raj Khanal, former member of the NPC and executive member of FPFN, highlighted the current geopolitical landscape and economic challenges and inclusive growth through the upcoming budget, respectively. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 16 May 2025. 

PM Prachanda determined to complete pace process by consensus.

 Kathmandu, Dec. 26

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said that he is determined to complete the rest of the pace process by consensus.  

Terming Nepal's peace process 'unique and exemplary for the world', he stated that it has gained recognition at the international stage. "However, some tasks of the process are yet to be completed. Now, I am determined to complete the rest of the peace process by consensus," he said in his address to the nation on Tuesday.

Addressing the nation on the occasion of the completion of a year in the rule, PM Prachanda said that during his foreign visits as the Prime Minister, he clearly stated the priorities, interests and issues mutual cooperation of Nepal with the concerned countries.

"A strong and balanced relationship has been maintained with India and China. The cooperation and support of these neighbouring countries has increased in Nepal's development efforts. At the World Food Conference held in Rome, Italy, Nepal's presentation on food security and solving the problems of underdeveloped countries has drawn the world's attention," he said.

Likewise, the content presented by Nepal in the General Assembly of the United Nations and its other meetings has received international attention. According to him, the United Nations Secretary General's visit to Nepal at his invitation and Nepal's presentation at the Climate Change Conference held in Dubai last month, 'Cop-28', were effective.

Similarly, Tatopani-Khasa, Rasuwa-Kerung, Hilsa-Purang and Korla border point of Mustang, which have been closed for a long time, have been opened for bilateral trade. "I raised the issue of tri-national connectivity for the second time when I was the Prime Minister and announced the road corridor to connect China and India. Now the work of the Mahakali Corridor is progressing at a fast pace. The budget has been assured for the Dipayal-Khutia road connecting Taklakot in Tibet," said PM Prachanda.

Meanwhile, he also expressed his commitment to prove wrong the interpretation that the water of Melamchi will not come to Kathmandu, and said that he is working with a compact plan of 28 days with the target of delivering 170 million litre water a day to the water treatment plants at Sundarijal within a month.

PM Prachanda also said that the minimum wage of workers in the country has been increased to Rs. 17, 350. More than 950,000 people who have gone to foreign employment or are self-employed abroad, are in the informal sector and are self-employed within the country have been included in the contribution-based social security scheme.

Similarly, PM Prachanda said that the government's diligence in search and rescue operations in the aftermath of the Jajarkot earthquake has increased the trust of the people towards the state. The government has decided to provide Rs. 50,000 per family for the construction of temporary housing for the families whose houses have been damaged in the earthquake and are not fit for habitation. Rs. 2.26 billion for the same has been disbursed. The temporary reconstruction work will be completed within a month, said the Prime Minister.

"Development cannot be accelerated without democracy being strong, and its benefits cannot be equally distributed among the people. Now some people have resorted to false and misleading propaganda to create resentment towards the system," said PM Prachanda while adding that their comment that the unitary rule was better than now is completely wrong.

"I am firm in favour of strengthening the provinces. Lately, I have heard and understood the dissatisfaction of the chief ministers. I assure them through this speech today, all knots of federalism are being untied very fast," he said, "It was me who convened the first meeting of the National Coordination Council."

Today, I want to bear witness to the people and also tell the ministers that we cannot afford to fail. I am in no condition and mood to forgive anyone for poor performance, stated PM Prachanda.

"If I cannot create positive change and hope in the country, there is no need for me to hold the position," he said.

He also said that he would continue to strive for dialogue and understanding with the main opposition and other political parties for the implementation of the important issues related to the execution of the constitution, and for cooperation on other issues of national importance to complete the remaining work of the peace process.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 27 December 2023.  

Qatari State Minister Calls on PM

 Kathmandu, Nov. 24

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, called on Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda on Friday morning.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), matters of mutual interest including trade, investment, development cooperation and employment of Nepali nationals in Qatar were discussed in the meeting. .

The Prime Minister appreciated Qatar’s mediation in humanitarian pause in Gaza and release of hostages.

 On the occasion, the Prime Minister requested for cooperation of the Government of Qatar in securing the release of Bipin Joshi from the captivity of HAMAS, a Palestinian rebel group that launched attack on Israeli since October 13.

Earlier, Al-Muraikhi also called on Minister for Foreign Affairs N.P. Saud, at the latter’s office.

 During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction on the existing state of bilateral relations and agreed to explore the prospective areas including investment in Nepal, cooperation in the field of education and sports, exchange programmes, scholarships, employment of skilled and semi-skilled Nepali nationals in Qatar, among others.

Besides complimenting Qatar’s role in easing the situation in Gaza and the release of the hostages, FM Saud reiterated the request for Qatar’s facilitation for the early release of Bipin Joshi.

The Qatari side informed their continuous efforts in releasing the hostages and easing the humanitarian situation, informed the MoFA.

The Qatari delegation led by Al-Muraikhi also held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Secretary, Bharat Raj Paudyal, at his office earlier in the morning on Friday.

"Both sides reviewed all aspects of bilateral relations. While expressing satisfaction on the progress made in different sectors, the Foreign Secretary requested for enlisting Nepal in the skilled category for labour supply to Qatar, provide special access to Nepali products in Qatari markets and extend development cooperation through Qatar Fund for Development," read the statement issued by the MoFA.

Al-Muraikhi and his delegation left for Doha this evening after completing the two-day official visit to Nepal. Foreign Secretary Paudyal and other senior officials of the Ministry bade farewell to the visiting guests at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

  Published in The Rising Nepal on 25 November 2023.

Nepal welcomes agreement in Gaza

 Kathmandu, Nov. 23

The Government of Nepal has welcomed the agreement on humanitarian pause in Gaza paving the way for the release of hostages and supply of humanitarian materials.

Nepal compliments the diplomatic efforts of all the countries and parties primarily Qatar, the United States of America and Egypt in reaching this understanding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Nepal said in a statement on Thursday.

Nepal also has reiterated the call for the immediate release of Nepali national, Bipin Joshi.

  Published in The Rising Nepal on 24 November 2023.

Over 1,300 people still unaccounted for

Kathmandu, Aug 28

Over 1,300 people in connection with the decade-long armed conflict are still unaccounted for, reported the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS).

According to the Updated list 2021, a joint publication of the ICRC and the NRCS, 1,329 people are still missing in connection with the decade-long (1996-2006) internal armed conflict in the country.

The report will be released during an event to be held on Sunday (August 29) to mark the International Day of the Disappeared.

ICRC said in a Saturday statement that the ICRC, NRCS and a network of conflict victims’ associations would observe the Day.

“Respecting the safety protocols issued by the government in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will be held virtually,” read the statement.

The online event will include speeches from senior leaders of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, representatives of the family associations and family members of missing people.

Representatives from Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and National Human Rights Commission will also be part of the event.

This list has been published annually since 2007. It will also be available at https://familylinks.icrc.org/nepal which is part of the global Restoring Family Links website.

The website is managed by the ICRC and the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to help reconnect families separated due to a conflict, a natural disaster or migration.

Sandesh Shrestha, Head of the ICRC in Nepal, said, “Today our identity in Nepal is related to the transitional justice process, focusing on the families’ right to know what happened to their missing relatives.”

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 August 2021.  

Youth feel used and forgotten: study

Kathmandu, June 27: Youth affected by the armed conflict and the Madhes movements have an overwhelming feeling of having been used and then forgotten, and their sacrifice failed to yield the results they were hoping, concludes a recent study.

“They were powerless then and they are powerless now. They see many issues that still need to be resolved in their society and the country today, but for many reasons, they struggle to engage meaningfully in peaceful action and the social transformation of their communities,” concludes a case study ‘Youth experiences of conflict, violence and peace building in Nepal’ conducted by Search for Common Ground (SFCG).

According to the study, while the youth perceive some benefits for having taken part in movements for social change that address – at least in part – both the structural and political violence, they also feel highly frustrated due to lack of social acceptance and their gradually deteriorating living conditions.

“They feel stigmatised and disadvantaged, and they lack opportunities to meaningfully be engaged in society today,” it further says.

The study has found that the youth affected by the civil war and Madhes movements also felt that the process of reconciliation in Nepal was stalled and incomplete. They have lost faith in this process and its possible outcomes.

It also concludes that there seems to be a growing realisation among the participants of the study that they were exploited and manipulated by the political parties and other forces to engage in violent activities.

“Many have had a serious reflection on these matters, realising the loss they had to bear and what other avenues they can explore,” says the study.

However, the youth involved in the initiatives promoting social cohesion are getting higher social acceptance and recognition.

The study has recommended the local governments to engage the youth in various committees at the local level and have their inputs in development works.

It has asked the central government to devise a national action plan to mainstream the violence-affected youth.

“Promote quality education for all and meaningful employment schemes, address the livelihood needs of the conflict-affected families, increase community and family support programmes, and address drug abuse,” recommends the study.

Likewise, it has suggested addressing the barriers to women’s participation, and offer capacity building to diverse youth in conflict mitigation and resolution.

According to Bhola Prasad Dahal, Nepal Country Director of SFCG, the study focuses on hard to reach youth in seven districts of Nepal – Saptari, Rautahat, Gorkha, Kapilvastu, Ropla, Bardiya and Kailali – that are among the most affected by the conflicts.

A total of 14 focus group discussions, 29 key informant interviews and 12 case story interviews were conducted for the study among 175 youth – 42 per cent female and 58 per cent male.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 June 2018. 

Law needed to declare enforced disappearance as crime

Kathmandu, Aug 6: Even though the Commission on Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have completed the collection of complaints from local level to investigate events occurred during the decade long armed conflict, the country has not yet formulated legal framework to declare the enforced disappearance and torture as crimes.

The two commissions have only six more months to work but they have just got down the business to find truth and facts over the various conflict cases.

Confusion prevails as the existing laws do not recognize ‘enforced disappearance’ or ‘torture’ as crime.

Moreover, the Supreme Court had instructed the government to amend the Act related  to the commissions.

Chairmen of both the commissions had urged the Legislature-Parliament’s Human Rights and Social Justice Committee to pass the amended Act and laws on torture.

“Article 25 (1) of Act on Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons and Truth and Reconciliation, 2014, has enabled us to recommend the government to punish the perpetrators. But, we don’t have legal provisions to recommend special punishment in peculiar cases. We can’t specify the nature of punishment in the absence of proper legal framework,” said Prof. Dr. Bishnu Pathak, spokesperson of CIEDP.

The bill has been stuck at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) for the last four months, and it hasn’t forwarded it to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MoLJPA) even after multiple follow ups from the latter.

“We have not received the draft of the bills yet. The Minister in the previous government himself had asked the MoPR to send the draft at the earliest,” informed Hum Bahadur KC, deputy spokesperson of the MoLJPA.

The bill has proposed a jail term from three months to 15 years and a fine of Rs 30,000 to Rs 500,000 to the culprits depending on the nature of their crime.

The bill to declare the tortures as criminal offence has been pending in the parliament-secretariat for the last two years.

The TRC has received a total of 53,151complaints and the CIEDP 2,793 complaints.