KATHMANDU: Delegates representing various nations and donor agencies expressed their support to Nepal reconstruction drive at the International Conference on Nepal's reconstruction. India pledges NRs 100 billion support Speaking at the inaugural of the conference, Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj expressed Indian people's and government's solidarity with people and government of Nepal in the time of crisis. Swaraj, on the occasion, announced that India will provide NRs 100 billion support to Nepal including NRs 25 billion as grant. '... This pledge is over and above our existing bilateral development assistance of another USD 1 billion over the next five years, 40 per cent of which would be grant,' Swaraj said, 'This takes our total assistance to Nepal over the next five years to USD 2 billion.' 'We read it as if the disaster has struck India,' she said, 'Our rescue teams arrived within six hours of the tremor.' Highlighting that Nepal needs to rebuild a number of cultural heritages, Swaraj said India will also provide technical support to capacity building for the reconstruction drive, besides financial assistance. China's package: RMB 3 billion Likewise, Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said China is with Nepal during this time of crisis. Quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping's message, he said, 'The friendship between China and Nepal is as close as teeth and lips.' Mentioning that the earthquake also caused losses in China's Tibet, he said China was also quick in sending relief troops to Nepal. He announced that China will provide Renminbi 3 billion to Nepal by 2018. The amount is equivalent to around NRs 49 billion. He also announced other supports including low-interest loans and technical assistance. Likewise, Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kiuchi Minoru said Japan will provide as much cooperation as possible in rebuilding Nepal including World Heritage sites. Recalling that people of Nepal had provided as many as 5,000 blankets to Japanese people after an earthquake four years ago, he expressed that people and government of Japan are with Nepal. Also speaking at the conference, Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende pledged a support of 200 million Norwegian Krone to Nepal, and expressed that the funding will increase later.  Finance Minister of Bangladesh, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, conveyed Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government's message that Bangladesh will provide as much support as possible to Nepal reconstruction. He also expressed readiness to provide more rice to Nepal. Lyonpo Namgay Dorji, Bhutanese Finance Minister, said Nepal and Bhutan share unprecedented friendly relation and expressed solidarity with people of Nepal in the time of crisis. He also pledged 'an unprecedented support' to the government of Nepal for the reconstruction drive.   Sri Lankan Minister for Disaster Management Abdul Hameed Mohamed Fowzie said combined efforts from international community is essential to combat with the destruction caused by the Nepal earthquake. US Ambassador to Nepal Peter W Bodde, on behalf of the US Secretary of State John Kerry, announced a support of USD 130 million to Nepal reconstruction efforts. He announced that USAID will continue its support in Nepal further. Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao said Nepal has immense challenges in its reconstruction mission. He said the ADB has committed to provide USD 600 million for Nepal reconstruction efforts in various forms of grants and loans. European Union Development Commissioner  Neven Mimica pledged to provide Euro 100 million grant and technical assistance worth Euro 5 million to Nepal reconstruction efforts. 'European Union is currently preparing a budget support operation worth 100 million euros and this is our pledge today. This assistance will hopefully create fiscal space helping the government to face the budgetary consequences of the disaster both in unforeseen expenditure and foregone revenue. In parallel, we will make available up to 5 million euros or technical assistance,' Mimica said. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim had sent video messages to the conference. Annette Dixon, WB Vice-President for South Asia, had presented introductory remarks on Kim's message. In their video messages, Ki-Moon and Kim pledged their substantial support to Nepal reconstruction drive. The World Bank will provide USD 200 million for building houses in rural areas and additional USD 100 million for recovery in the financial sector, according to Kim. Concluding the inaugural session, UN Under Secretary General Gyan Chandra Acharya said the ICNR would become a strong foundation to build better its future. He also called foreign nations and donor agencies to effectively deliver pledged support. After the inaugural session, the business session will be held, in which National Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Govinda Raj Pokharel will share a presentation on the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment. Two other technical sessions will be held where delegates will discuss various reconstruction models and approaches. READ ALSO:

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