GOPAC-Nepal Activities

Registration of GOPAC-Nepal Chapter

GOPAC-Nepal Chapter was formally registered at the Office of the District Development Committee, Kathmandu (Reg. No. 662/064/65, dated 10/12/07) and Kathmandu District Administration Office (Reg. No.: 589, dated: 10/12/2007), and affiliated to Social Welfare Council (Regd. No. 23986, dated: 12/12/2007). This process was facilitated by Mr Kedar Khadka.

Establishment of the Secretariat of GOPAC-Nepal Chapter and the Organizing Committee

Initially, GOPAC Nepal Chapter, a modest premise was rented in order to ensure easy availability of the logistical support. While selecting the space for the Secretariat close to the Hon’ble Members of Legislature-Parliament not to be seen as being too closely aligned to, or being driven by, the secretariat has been carefully considered and respected.

Formation of GOPAC-Nepal Chapter Management Committee

Since it was considered not to be feasible to expect all GOPAC-Nepal Chapter Ad-hoc Committee members to be present in all its meetings, it was agreed to form a ‘Management Committee’ comprising members of the GOPAC Nepal Chapter and Mr Kedar Khadka as Mgt. Coordinator. Click here for the management committee members.

The Committee had discussed among its members and also with Mgt. Team members what needs to be done in days to come. Although many rather ambitious plans were discussed like, the capacity building of the Legislators-Parliamentarians, exchange visit to the region and from the region, developing the Parliament into a democratic oversight agency in the country etc., it was, however, agreed that the organization of the proposed South-Asia Regional Conference of GOPAC should be the top most task of the management committee and that all out efforts need to be made immediately to mobilize resources to organize the mega event.
Joint Program organized on Anti-corruption day

GOPAC-Nepal had joined CIAA and NCaC in organizing an interaction program in Kathmandu to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day on 9th December, being celebrated every year. Hon’ble Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Mr Kedar P. Giri presided over the function in which a strong plea was made to the Legislature-Parliament members to press the Government of Nepal to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) which Nepal has already signed some years back and the Parliament had already passed a resolution to that effect in year 2007.

Highlighting the need to fight corruption through parliament, GOPAC Nepal Chapter President Honorable MP Jaganath Khatiwada said that GOPAC would now deal with corruption issues and build global solidarity through the parliament. Similarly, Member of Legislature-Parliament Parshuram Meghi Gurung lamented over corruption issue getting into shadow at present because of other political agendas coming to the spotlight. “We can’t say that nothing has been done in anti-corruption field but has not been up to the mark,” Gurung added.

Joint-Secretary of Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary

Affairs Kedar Poudel discussed existing legal frameworks and their amendments to implement the UN Convention against Corruption. “A number of laws have to be amended to bring at he UNCaC into force in Nepal,” he informed. To raise anti-corruption awareness and to build solidarity against corruption from all quarters, printed ‘zero denomination’ note and distributed among the participants to promote zero tolerance against corruption.

The joint program was a big success because it was for the first time that GOPAC-Nepal was formally introduced to the audience present there and large number of Legislators-Parliamentarians was also present.

Specific activities related to the ‘mega event’ already carried out

Hon’ble Speaker of the Legislature-Parliament, Mr Subas Chandra Nembang has already confirmed the dates 14-16 February 2008 for the regional conference, which have been communicated to GOPAC International accordingly.

Venue for the Conference and logistical arrangements for the delegates have been tentatively finalized with The Everest Hotel, New Baneswor, Kathmandu. In total, 31 delegates are to be invited: 5 Parliamentarians each from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; 2 Parliamentarians each from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives and Kuwait; and 3 delegates from GOPAC International Secretariat, Ottawa, Canada.

Although no resources have been mobilized as yet, the ‘management committee’ is very hopeful that the Organizing Committee will be able to arrange sponsorships for delegates from different countries from different sources. The Asia Foundation & National Democratic Institute (NDI) has already been approached for arranging sponsorships for delegates from some of the countries and there is every reason to believe that it will sponsor delegates from at least three countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). Similarly, the secretariat has also approached some potential donor agencies for the possible funding for the Mega Event and also for its two years grand activities in Nepal.