Three months after elections, a new cabinet was sworn in end of February in Kathmandu. The two largest parties have formed a coalition, with the new Prime Minister Sushil Koirala from the Congress Party, and 18 ministers from the Congress and UML parties. The mainstream Maoists – different from the breakaway fundamentalist faction – voted in support but did not join an initially foreseen unity government. Where does the country stand at this moment? By Gabriele Köhler
Only a few short years ago, Nepal emerged from a 10 year civil conflict which had cost 15000 lives – out of a total population of roughly 30 million people. Some six years later, Nepal no longer makes headlines in the international media. The arduous process of transforming a conflict- and autocracy-ridden polity no longer captures people’s imaginations beyond Nepal itself. This is a pity because the country deserves attention for its political accomplishments and merits deeper analysis in light of its complex human development outcomes ...
But everyday misery, social exclusion and lack of employment
What next?
The author:
Gabriele Köhler is a development economist, an incoming Visiting Fellow at UNRISD, Geneva, and an Associate of the IDS, Sussex. Please visit >>> http://www.gabrielekoehler.net
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