02 December 2024 – Kathmandu, NEPAL – The European Union Ambassador to Nepal, HE Veronique Lorenzo is on a 5-day mission to visit European Union-funded projects in Karnali province of Western Nepal, from December 2 to 6, 2024. Among the highlights, the Ambassador and team met with the provincial and local government officials, beneficiaries and project staff—who are part of the European Union-funded Strengthening Urban Preparedness and Earthquake Response (SUPER) project.

The USD 2.68 million (EUR 2.56 million) project implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Nepal together with the Government of Nepal, UNICEF and UN Women, builds the resilience of over 500,000 people—including those from the marginalized communities on earthquake preparedness and urban risks in Karnali, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces of Nepal. The project also focuses on resilience building of people in three targeted municipalities, Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City, and Birendranagar Municipality.

While in Surkhet, the European Union Ambassador visited the Provincial Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), which played a crucial role in coordination and information management during the earthquake that struck Western Nepal in November 2023. She interacted with Ms. Kamala Yogi, Administrative Officer of the DRR section, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law (MoIAL) in Karnali province and explained how important it is for the European Union to continue being part of the disaster preparedness and response activities in the Western region of Nepal.

Ms. Kamala Yogi thanked the European Union Ambassador for the visit, and for investing on activities that strengthen the capacity of the communities and authorities to prepare for and respond to disasters. Building on the past urban preparedness and earthquake response work implemented under the EU-supported SUPER-I (2021-24) initiative and drawing lessons from the earthquakes in Jajarkot and Bajhang districts, SUPER-II aims to strengthen provincial and municipal systems and reinforce their linkages with the federal disaster risk reduction and management system, thus contributing to a reduced risk at the community level.

The SUPER project, funded by the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), has been underway since 2021, with its third phase commencing since August 2024. In close coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority, provincial government and municipalities, the UNDP-led consortium project has been engaging parliamentarians, various associations of municipalities, government training institutions, NGOs/CBOs, media and the private sector.
 

For media enquiries: Monica Upadhyay, UNDP Nepal, Head of Communications; e-mail: monica.upadhyay@undp.org; X: @monica.upadhyay

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