KATHMANDU: The United States has said Nepal could easily revoke the State Partnership Program (SPP) by simply writing a letter stating that it no longer wanted to be part of the program.
US Embassy, Kathmandu, Deputy Chief of Mission Manuel P. Micaller said so on Thursday as the SPP controversy is gaining new heights in the country.
Clarifying further about SPP, he said, “Any country can inform the United States that it no longer wants to be part of the SPP program. Of the 90 countries involved in the SPP, only Belarus canceled its participation.”
The US Embassy on Wednesday said that Nepal first applied for the SPP in 2015 and then in 2017, and Nepal’s application had been accepted in 2019.
Nepal’s request letter to the US Embassy for participation in SPP, which was leaked today, stated that SPP can provide support in areas of mutual interest, including disaster preparedness and crisis management, among others.
Micaller had said on Wednesday that the program sought to openly benefit Nepal’s civilian, government and military leaders, focusing on security assistance and exchanges, as well as humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness.
As part of the SPP program, the Nepali Army is forging cooperating with the US National Guard of Utah.
“Since agreeing to Nepal’s request to participate in the SPP program, we have continued to engage in open dialogue with Nepalese leaders to discuss what kind of exchanges might be feasible under the program, including possible humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Micaller.
He further clarified, “Any cooperation under SPP would be strictly subjected to Nepal’s approval.”
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