Nepal

Nepal’s decade-long insurgency ended in 2006. The country’s leading political parties are now faced with the challenges of following through on the peace agreement that ended the conflict and drafting a new constitution. While some political reform has been achieved and progress in addressing critical development challenges has been made, advances are slowed by frequent changes in leadership and by interest groups jostling for power through the use of nationwide general strikes and the disruption of government functions.

Although Nepal has achieved remarkable improvements in the past decades, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world with an estimated 55 percent of Nepalese falling below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day.

USAID programs are working with the Government of Nepal to address the effects of the country’s poor economic performance and advance Nepal’s political transition by strengthening citizen participation; improving the quality of life for Nepalis by strengthening health systems; increasing incomes and employment in rural areas; and addressing the challenges of food insecurity and climate change. In each of these areas there is a special focus on disaster risk reduction and supporting Nepal's youth and socially disadvantaged populations.