Kathmandu: – A program was organized on Monday by the UNDP to launch the Annual Human Development Report, 2003. This year’s theme of the report is “Millenium Development Goals: A compact among nations to end Human Poverty. ”

Speaking on the occasion, the chief of the UN System in Nepal, Dr. Henning Karcher, emphasized that unless and until conflict is resolved little progress can be made in the development of Nepal. He also added that “heart of democracy lies in the elections and mentioned that the ” future of the political system will be determined at the ballot box at central and decentralized levels”.

Dr Karcher said this year’s report is particularly important and relevant in the context of Nepal as it focuses on the Millenium Development Goals. If the targets set by the MDG are followed in later and spirit manner, opined Karcher, possessed the potential to transform the world even.

” Even more important is the translation of these goals into concrete sub-goals targets and indicators at the decentralized level. Workshops have been held with the Local Development Offices (LDOs) of all 75 districts informing them of the MDGs and encouraging them to reflect them in their receptive district development plans and budgets. Let me emphasize here that we are not advocating a one- size-fits-all approach. What matters is the setting of specific targets in line with the specific circumstances that prevail locally and commitments by all concerned to keep targets high on the agenda, until they are fully realized”, concluded the UN System chief in Nepal. (For detailed text of Dr. Karcher’s speech go to page 2)

Yet another guest invited by the UNDP for the release of the Human Development Report, was the head of the DFID, Mr. David Wood, who remarked that the UK’s overseas development assistance budget is set to increase to nearly 7 billion dollars in 2005/6 of GDP. However he stressed the need to move faster on aid effectiveness. Speaking in the context of Nepal, Mr. Wood welcomed the progress made in relation to the education and gender equality, under 5 mortality and access to water and sanitation. Hinting towards the 7 years conflict between the government and the Maoists, Mr. Wood said “there is a lot to be done to further decrease the maternal mortality and to reduce the poverty, which has risen in the last few decades”. (For detailed text of Mr. Woods’s speech go to page 2)

To a questions posed by this scribe to Mr. Wood, the chief at the British donor agency, at the press meet organized immediately after launching the Human development report, said that the “present political crisis could be avoided only with the political solution avoiding casualties and urged the political parties to be part of the peace process”. He however agreed that Nepal was now facing structural problem(s) without the participation of political parties and hinted that the ongoing peace endeavors should be more democratic. Dr Karcher pushing his rejoinder to Mr. Wood’s remark while replying to this scribe’s query said UN was and still is ready to provide its assistance to help solve the problem, though the government has been ruling out the need for third party mediation.

Karcher said, release of this years Human Development Report could be considered as a careful and systematic monitoring process towards achieving the goals.

At the program Dr Shankar Sharma, The Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission launched the report and elaborated Nepal’s position in the just launched report and clarified its respective position.