Kathmandu, December 28:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today that Nepal is eligible to receive assistance from the UN Peacebuilding Fund, set up a year ago to help countries emerging from conflict consolidate their gains and avoid slipping back into war.

In a statement issued in the official website of UN News Centre, Ban has instructed his Special Representative and UNMIN chief Ian Martin to ensure that financing from the Fund is targeted to priority peace process needs that have already been identified by the UN after consultations with the Government and all parties to the peace process, along with donors and other key stakeholders.

Assistance from the Peacebuilding Fund will be channelled through an existing funding mechanism, the UN Peace Fund for Nepal, which is governed by an Executive Committee consisting of the Special Representative, the UN Resident Coordinator and representatives from the Government and donor community.

Carolyn McAskie, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, said Nepal was declared eligible for assistance from the Peacebuilding Fund “because there is pressing need to consolidate the country’s peaceful gains and ensure key areas in the peace process are supported.”

The Peacebuilding Fund has an initial funding target of $250 million.