$95m allocated for UNMIN

Kathmandu, March 1:

A committee at the United Nations Headquarters has allocated some $95 million for the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

“The UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) yesterday passed the budget of about

$95 million for the UNMIN,” a source at the UN Headquarters told this daily. The budget, however, has to be finally approved by the Fifth Committee at the UN Headquarters.

Nepali officials in NewYork are optimistic that the Fifth Committe, that is expected to meet within a week, would approve the budget as Nepal is one of the vice-chairs of the panel.

The UNMIN was estabilished in January to assist the landmark peace deal between the government and the Maoists.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Personal Representive to Nepal, Ian Martin, is currently in NewYork to brief officials on Nepal’s latest situation and the UNMIN’s work here.

The UNMIN had proposed the UN Headquarters for approval of “US$100 million.”

Initially, $9.3 million had been allocated for the mission in Nepal.