This site uses cookies, as explained in our terms of use. If you consent, please close this message and continue to use this site.
2 mins Read
February 29, 2016, DELHI – Today, Jean Lebel, President of Canada’s International Development Research Centre and His Excellency Nadir Patel, Ambassador of Canada to Nepal announced a new initiative to help Nepali communities rebuild following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the country in April 2015. This $1.2 million investment will restore housing, public buildings, and infrastructure, as well as promote better mitigation and management for future natural disasters. This initiative contributes to wider Government of Canada reconstruction efforts in Nepal.
Working with a local partner, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), this partnership will support rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in Dhungentar ward. This initiative will strengthen the capacities of communities and institutions for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, and build eco-friendly, climate and earthquake resilient homes. The disaster risk management and adaptation capabilities and practices that are developed and refined will be scaled up to help other communities better prepare for climate and non-climate hazards.
The Government of Canada has so far provided $23 million in humanitarian assistance funding in response to the crisis, which has been directed to experienced humanitarian partners, including UN humanitarian agencies, Canadian NGOs and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“This initiative will support mountain communities in their rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts following the earthquake of 2015,” said IDRC President Jean Lebel “and the knowledge generated will be shared in the wider region to improve disaster planning and preparedness to reduce the devastating impacts of such events.”
“In the aftermath of last year’s earthquake in Nepal, Canada provided a timely and comprehensive response to humanitarian needs. Canada remains committed to work with Nepal in supporting the most vulnerable people affected by this tragedy. The ICIMOD project supported by IDRC will help in the long term rehabilitation of the affected people,’ said the Ambassador of Canada to Nepal, Mr. Nadir Patel.
“While it is important to rebuild infrastructure after the earthquake, it is critical that the focus be on rebuilding livelihoods. So in addition to road, irrigation and building reconstruction, the project will focus on community resilience with a special focus on mountain women. The efforts will help the mountain communities to better prepare for climate and non-climate hazards. The whole Hindu Kush Himalayas is a high hazard region for earthquakes, and the lessons learned need to be transferred to other countries in the region, a role that ICIMOD as regional, intergovernmental organization can play,” said Dr. David Molden, Director General, ICIMOD
Quick Facts
The project supports rebuilding in Nepal in the context of natural disaster management, risk management, rehabilitation, strengthening livelihoods and community resilience. This work builds on IDRC investment in Nepal since 1972 IDRC has been working on climate and water related challenges in the region for more than 20 years The $1.2 million initiative will build earthquake resilient housing for 100 families. Contact
Prabha Sethuraman, Executive Assistant/Communications Officer psethuraman@idrc.ca; 9873455466 @IDRCinAsia Jocelyn Sweet, IDRC Media Relations jsweet@idrc.ca | +613.696.2117 | @IDRC_CRDI
Nira Gurung, Senior Communications Officer, ICIMOD Nira.gurung@icimod.org, 5003222 (ext 115)
Share
Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.
Related contents
KATHMANDU, Nepal (April 23, 2024) -
Read in english 特强气旋风暴“摩卡”距孟加拉和缅甸海岸登陆还有数小时的路程。对世界上最大的难民营 科克斯巴扎尔(Cox’s Bazar)以及 缅甸若开邦 (Rakhine)国内流离失所者营地的潜在影响尤其令人担忧,在那里估计有 600 ...
Over 100 state and non-state partners of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) met in Kathmandu to develop a ...
South Asia faces the challenge of tackling persistent poverty at a time of rapid and large-scale changes in social, environmental, ...
Most accurate assessment of changes to the Asia high mountain cryosphere to date warns of ...
Kathmandu, [5 December 2023] – The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) marks four decades of catalysing sustainable development in the complex ...
On 17th February 2021, the Adaptation Fund Board announced its decision to accredit the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development ...
Durban, South Africa Findings from the most comprehensive assessment to date on climate change, snow and glacier melt ...