Nepal

Nepal

Updated October 23, 2023
Nepal
Overview
MCC Compact with Nepal, signed in 2017, includes $500
The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a lower-
million to “spur investments, accelerate economic growth,
middle income, relatively small, landlocked state in South
and reduce poverty,” and has a significant electricity
Asia. Since parliamentary democracy was restored in 2006
transmission component. Nepal’s parliament ratified the
after a four-year period of monarchy, Nepal has faced
Compact in February 2022. A bilateral Trade and
political instability, with tensions between its far larger
Investment Framework Agreement entered into force in
neighbors—India to the south and the People’s Republic of
2011. Some observers claim that China’s political and
China (PRC, or China) to the north—largely defining its
economic presence is growing in Nepal, and that this
foreign policy. Congressional interest in Nepal has focused
increased presence motivates renewed U.S. focus on Nepal.
on oversight of U.S. assistance, including a Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, and the status of
Thousands of Tibetans fled to India and Nepal following
Tibetan refugees.
China’s annexation of Tibet in the 1950s. The Nepali
government says it is hosting approximately 12,500 Tibetan
Background
refugees. Observers estimate 10,000 additional,
Nepal is a country of approximately 31 million people that
undocumented Tibetans in the country. The U.S. Congress
has undergone political transformations since 2006, when a
appropriated $11 million for the Tibetan exile government
10-year-long armed insurgency by Maoist militants ended
and Tibetans in Nepal and India for Fiscal Year 2023. In
after claiming at least 13,000 lives. That year, Nepal’s king
2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Kathmandu killed
responded to weeks of public protests by ending direct
nearly 9,000 people; the United States provided $130
monarchical rule and reinstating parliament, which he had
million to Nepal for relief efforts.
dissolved in 2002. Nepal’s parliament had existed in
various forms since 1948. Nepal held elections in 2008, in
Figure 1. Nepal in Brief
which Maoist candidates won a majority of the seats in
parliament. Nepal then declared itself a republic, held
elections for Constituent Assemblies in 2008 and 2013 to
draft a new constitution, and adopted a new constitution in
2015. Nepal now has a bicameral legislature with 275
Members in the House of Representatives and 59 Members
in the National Assembly, the body’s upper house. The
Prime Minister (PM) serves as the head of government, and
the indirectly-elected President serves a largely ceremonial
role. Though democratization has not been smooth, Nepal’s
government has brought former insurgents into the political
system and seen peaceful transitions of power through free,
fair elections.
Nepal has three main geographic areas: the low-lying,
agriculturally-productive Terai region bordering India; an
intermediate central hill zone; and more mountainous parts
of the country. Never colonized, Nepal was largely isolated
until the early 1950s, and its difficult physical environment
presents challenges for economic development.

U.S. Relations and Assistance
Recent Political Developments
The State Department describes U.S.-Nepal relations as
Shifting alliances among the country’s political elite
friendly. U.S. policy seeks to assist Nepal’s development as
contribute to government instability. At the close of 2022,
a “peaceful, prosperous, resilient and democratic society”
Nepal had been led by 13 different governments in 16
by “strengthening good governance, democratic values, and
years. November 2022 elections installed a coalition led by
security and stability; supporting inclusive, equitable
PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal (2008-2009, 2016-2017, and
economic growth and a clean, resilient energy future; and
2022-present) of the Communist Party of Nepal Maoist-
helping Nepal become more self-reliant, independent, and
Centre (CPN MC), replacing former PM Sher Bahadur
resilient as it confronts global challenges.” U.S. assistance
Deuba’s (in office five times from 1995 to 2022) Nepali
programs have focused on agriculture, democracy, human
Congress (NC)-led government following elections in
rights, good governance, education, the environment,
November 2022. (Dahal, who led the Maoists during the
climate change, gender equality, and global health. An
insurgency, is also known by the nom de guerre
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Nepal
Prachanda.) The coalition government initially included the
PM Dahal as pragmatic regarding Nepal’s foreign policy,
Communist Party of Nepal Marxist Leninist (CPN UML),
others posit that his “fondness” for China means his
led by Party Chairman and former PM Khadga Prasad
administration may strengthen Nepal-PRC ties. A
Sharma Oli (in office 2015-2016 and 2018-2021). In
September 2023 state visit to the PRC by PM Dahal
February 2023, Oli’s CPN-UML withdrew its support of
resulted in a joint statement, promising increased bilateral
the Dahal-led government, reportedly in light of Dahal’s
cooperation and joint inspection of the Nepal-China
decision to support the NC candidate for president,
boundary.
Ramchandra Paudel. It is unclear why Dahal decided to
support Paudel, who won a majority of electoral college
Climate Change
votes and secured the presidency in March 2023. The next
Nepal is particularly vulnerable to challenges brought on by
parliamentary election is due in 2027.
climate change. According to the World Bank, “warming in
Nepal is projected to be higher than the global average
Nepal’s Relations with India and China
[and] climate change is already having significant impacts.
Observers have viewed Nepal as a buffer state between
Natural hazards such as drought, heatwave, river flooding,
India and China. Nepal has historical ties with both
and glacial lake outburst flooding are all projected to
countries, driven in part by geography and in part by shared
intensify.” A 2019 study from an international
religious and cultural traditions. India and China continue
governmental research center found that two-thirds of
to seek more diplomatic and economic engagement with
glacier ice in the Himalayas will be lost by 2100 if global
Nepal. The Nepali Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes the
climate mitigation targets are not met. At the United
country’s relationship with China as always having been
Nations General Assembly in September 2023, Prime
“friendly and cordial.” Nevertheless, Nepal has historically
Minister Dahal said that Nepal “contributes significantly to
had closer ties with India. Both countries share a border
ecological preservation, [but] has unfairly suffered from
with Nepal, but the open plains between Nepal and India
[the] climate crisis,” and called for a compensation
contrast the expansive Himalayan Mountains across the
mechanism to address the mismatch.
Nepal-China border.
Human Rights, Trafficking, and Migrant
India and Nepal have had a tradition of close coordination
Workers
on issues of defense and foreign affairs, based on the 1950
According to the State Department, major human rights
India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Nepal is
concerns in Nepal include reports of “unlawful or arbitrary
dependent on India as its primary source of imports and as
killings, including extrajudicial killings by the government;
its main export market, as well as for sea access through the
torture and cases of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Indian port of Kolkata. Nepal-India relations cooled after
by the government; arbitrary detention; serious restrictions
India unofficially blockaded Nepal in 2015 in response to
on freedom of expression and media, [and] … restrictions
Nepal’s adoption of a constitution that India asserted did
on freedom of movement for refugees, notably resident
not adequately protect the interests of ethnic Madhesi,
Tibetans; [and] serious government corruption.” The
Nepalis of Indian descent. Protesting what he called New
Department classifies Nepal as a “Tier 2” country for its
Delhi’s blockade and trade monopoly with Nepal, then-PM
efforts to combat trafficking in persons, judging that the
Oli signed a Transit and Transport Agreement with China
country “does not fully meet the minimum standards for the
in 2016, allowing Nepal to use PRC ports for third-country
elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts
trade. Nepal-India tensions rose again in 2020 after Nepal
to do so.” Thousands of women and girls are reportedly
issued a map including the Lipulekh, Kalapani, and
trafficked from Nepal to India each year. Nepal also has
Limpiyadhura regions as its territory, exacerbating a
one of the highest rates of child marriage in South Asia,
decades-old border dispute.
with an estimated 38.4% of girls marrying before age 18.
Foreign remittances accounted for 22% of GDP in 2022.
After his 2021 electoral win over Oli, PM Deuba expressed
Many Nepalis working abroad are subject to harsh
to Indian PM Narendra Modi his commitment to
conditions, abuse, and exploitation.
strengthening Nepal-India ties. PM Modi has aimed to
address boundary issues, proposing cooperation on
Congressional Interest
hydropower and regional connectivity during a May 2022
Congressional engagement on Nepal has included
visit to Nepal. Current PM Dahal met Modi in New Delhi in
supporting democratic institutions, promoting regional
June 2023; the two leaders agreed to deepen bilateral ties.
stability, alleviating poverty, promoting human rights and
sustainable economic growth, the interests of Tibetan
China has expanded ties with Nepal since 2015. China and
refugees, and helping build resilience to climate change and
Nepal held their first-ever combined military exercises in
natural disasters. A Congressional Caucus on Nepal,
2017, and the next month signed a Memorandum of
formed in 2011, has six members. Some Members of
Understanding on Nepal’s participation in China’s Belt and
Congress have supported programs to promote and preserve
Road Initiative. Beijing has pledged to invest in Nepali road
Tibetan culture and language in the refugee and diaspora
and hydropower projects. A planned $8 billion rail project
Tibetan communities in Nepal and to assist in the education
linking China and Nepal began preliminary work in April
and development of the next generation of Tibetan leaders.
2023. In 2022, a Nepali government report on alleged PRC
encroachment—such as unlawful patrolling and
Maria A. Blackwood, Analyst in Asian Policy
construction—into Nepal’s PRC-bordering Humla district
Joseph O. Yinusa, Research Assistant
was leaked to the press. Although some analysts describe
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Nepal

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