KATHMANDU: The US government on Tuesday announced an additional US$5.5 million in new funding to Nepal in a bid to mitigate the secondary impacts of the spread of COVID-19.
The fund announced through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is expected to bring the US Government’s COVID-19 assistance to Nepal to a total of $7.3 million, a press statement issued by the US Embassy in Kathmandu said.
The USAID, through this assistance, will work with the Government of Nepal to address second-order impacts of the coronavirus crisis here in the country.
According to the statement, the funding will particularly mobilize finance essential to economic recovery for Nepali small businesses as well as building on existing partnerships to address urgent needs within hard-hit municipalities.
Likewise, it will also assist local governments and institutions in vulnerable communities to assess, plan for, and respond to socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, while leveraging private sector investment.
The statement also said that the USAID is providing health assistance funding to conduct community-level risk-communications, prepare laboratory systems, activate case-finding and surveillance, and support technical experts for response and preparedness.
US Ambassador to Nepal, Randy Berry says, “Times of crisis like these are the truest test of a partnership, and we remain committed to building a more resilient, healthy, prosperous, and self-reliant Nepal during these hard times – and beyond.”
The statement further adds that a strong and collaborative partnership of the US with the government of Nepal spans over 70 years and includes the delivery of over $1.5 billion in U.S. assistance to support the development of the agriculture, education, health, and other socio-economic sectors in Nepal.
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