This report is issued by the UN RCO with inputs from its UN Field Coordination Offices and other partners and sources. The report covers February 2014. The next report will be issued the first week of April 2014.
CONTEXT
Political update
The month of February saw significant political developments toward restoration of a parliamentary government and starting of the constitution drafting process. The Legislature Parliament elected Nepali Congress (NC) President and Parliamentary Party leader Sushil Koirala as Prime Minister. A seven-point agreement between the NC and Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) paved the way for the Prime Minister’s election, ending the almost one year tenure of the Chief Justice-led Interim Electoral Council of Ministers. However, controversy between the NC and CPN-UML over who should hold the portfolio of the Ministry of Home Affairs delayed formation of the 21-member cabinet.
Currently, efforts are underway towards preparing the basis for constitution drafting. CPN-UML Constituent Assembly (CA) member Subash Nembang was elected as Chairperson and Unified Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist (UCPN-M) CA member Onsari Gharti Magar as vice Chairperson of the CA. Also, a 49 member committee was formed to draft the CA Regulations, which is fundamental to allowing the actual work of constitution drafting to resume. The committee was initially given a ten day-deadline, which was extended twice to give more time to resolve contentious issues such as the use of party whip in the CA, formation of caucuses and who – the President or the CA Chair - should authenticate the new constitution.
The actual drafting of the constitution has yet to begin.
Operational space
Overall, there were no major operational space issues reported by Basic Operating Guidelines signatories during the month of February in any region.