Chinese, Nepalese NGOs to work together

Kathmandu : China will provide assistance through various projects to the social development endeavours of Nepal as part of a memorandum of understanding reached between the two nations.

The MoU was signed on Sunday between the Social Welfare Council of Nepal (SWCN) and the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) to run projects in the field of community development, livelihood, disaster management, skills-oriented training, education and health services, said the Council.

With the move, Beijing enters into Nepal through its non-governmental organisations to counter thousands of NGOs operating in the Himalayan nation mostly funded by West and Europe.

The SWCN is an umbrella organization of Nepali NGOs responsible for their promotion, facilitation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the activities.

The MoU was signed by Minister for Women, Children and Elderly Citizens Thammaya Thapa on behalf of the Council and on behalf of China by visiting Chinese Deputy Minister for External Affairs Wang Yajun. Thapa also chairs the Council.

According to the MoU, Chinese NGOs will promote and strengthen the bilateral ties and will channel funds according to the priorities of the Nepali government.

Similarly, Chinese NGOs will also extend all possible cooperation to the Nepali NGOs and SWCN for effective implementation of the country's policy and developmental activities.

The Chinese NGOs after registering in Nepal will get all kind of benefits as other NGOs are getting. "All developmental assistance will be implemented by honouring the foreign policy of the both countries," the MoU stated.

At a time when Nepal is imposing stringent regulations to registration and renewal of NGOs with K.P. Oli government carrying the "nationalist" plank, the mass entry of Chinese NGOs raise several questions about their intent.