Nepal: Drug Problem, School Dropout and Foreign Trade

Earlier, we posted weekly news updates of Maldives. Now, it is time to share some news updates on Nepal with you. I found out some important news regarding various issues of the Himalayan country and the excerpts of the news are given here:

The number of girl student in Nepal has been decreasing alarmingly over the past few years due to lack of basic sanitation in the schools. A report, released by Nepal government, suggests that the dropout rate of girl student reached 12.5 percent mark in 2007, almost double the 2001 dropout rate of 6.5 percent. It also reveals that government constructs 1,48,000 toilets annually and only 10 percent poor have access to these toilets. A survey shows that 59 % schools in Nepal do not have any toilet at all! It is really an alarming situation for the education sector and government should give greater emphasis in this regard.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with a delegation team will go on a three-day official visit to Nepal in the first week of March. In fact, Mr. Rajapaksa will resume the direct flight between the two countries when Sri Lanka’s national carrier sets out for Kathmandu next month. Last month, the two countries amended their 10-year-old air services agreement to kick off direct flights between the two capitals again. During the visit, Sri Lankan president Rajapaksa will have discussion with Nepalese Prime Minister Prachanda, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and other high officials of the government on various bilateral aspects.

Drug trade or drug smuggling is a serious concern in Nepal and it has recently been reported that drug abuse plays a big role behind the HIV transmission in the country. An annual report, released by Narcotic Control Board (INCB), shows that 34 percent Nepali people, who take drug by injection, are infected by HIV/AIDS and the rate is highest in the sub-continent.

Eighth Nepal-China bilateral meeting ended successfully with the two neighboring countries consulting over several bilateral, regional and international issues in Beijing, the capital city of China. Nepalese delegation team, headed by Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya, held talks with a Chinese team led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hu Cong Yu during the visit.

Meanwhile, Upendra Yadav, the Nepali Minister for Foreign Affairs, is going to attend the 31st South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Ministerial meeting which will take place in Sri Lankan capital Colombo this month. During the two-day (February 27-28) meeting, ministers from the SAARC countries will discuss about various issues including SAARC development fund, regional climate, multi-model transportation.

(This entry was first published in February 2009. Because of a technical problem, the entry had to be deleted and I am reposting again now.)