Conference Report: Ideas for Rebuilding Nepal

The April 25, 2015 earthquake has posed the Government of Nepal with one of the biggest disaster related challenges in recent history. The efforts are in for evaluating damages, responding to immediate rescue and relief requirements and in framing a comprehensive reconstruction plan that aims to help the affected people and the economy.

To support the coordinating efforts, to prepare a plan with lessons and integrating sound ideas from experts who have managed post disaster situations, Nepal Leader’s Circle (NLC) hosted a two day conference- “Ideas for Rebuilding Nepal”. Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation and Niti Foundation supported the conference as knowledge partners to help process the information and put together a report. The report combines the ideas expressed by various participants during the two-day conference and focus on generating ideas that would bring about an inclusive institutional structure to deal with disaster preparedness and management and on reviving the hardest hit sectors of the economy along with ideas on financing the reconstruction efforts and policies that would increase private sector investment in the process and create opportunities for growth.

The recommendation on overall reconstruction and recovery is summed as:

  • A focus on micro, small and medium enterprises that form the backbone of the Nepali economy
  • A strategy for involving the private sector into the overall reconstruction process and increasing private sector investment
  • A policy initiative that understands and responds to the realities and demands of communities and a holistic approach that incorporates geological, socio-cultural and economic realities of the affected areas
  • Creation of space for innovation and experimentation
  • Fast track decision making and better governance

The quake could be a turning point in the economic history of Nepal if we are able to institutionalize reforms especially those targeting economic growth and disaster preparedness. There was agreement on the need for involving all the stakeholders in the process of rebuilding, using the private sector’s innovation and entrepreneurship ability and use of locally available wisdom, knowledge and resources while incorporating globally available lessons both of things that work and things that don’t work.

The full report can be downloaded here:

Download “Ideas for Rebuilding Nepal: Conference Report”

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Download “नेपाल पुनर्निर्माणका विचारहरु”

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