Dear Patrons, Namaste!
At Nepal Matters for America, this Winter we have begun yet another new year for us, with lots of achievements behind, despite the ordeals of Covid-19, and new challenges ahead. Thank you for your support!
What matters this January 2021 onwards is what diplomatic and policy visibility Nepal will have and maintain in the most powerful capital of the world Washington DC. As you already know, due to the increasingly assertive China, and now India, historic changes are taking place in South Asia and there is no doubt that our friendly Nepal will feel the heat, and in fact, she already does. Apart from sovereignty challenge, what will happen to the values of freedom and democracy Nepalese have been accepting all these years, remains a key question.
Nepal’s subsequent governments have seemed more interested in remaining in power than serving the country and the people. This has proven true again and again — the latest political crisis ensued by internal feud in the ruling Communist Party of Nepal. Nepali governments have seemed less interested in understanding the international dynamics and providing required policy and professional back-ups to uplift Nepal’s status in the international arena. Not to mention their indifference in terms of people’s needs and aspirations. Consequently, nothing significant has been achieved, rather the opposite compared to Nepal’s history of professional diplomacy. We acknowledge the work of Nepal’s embassy and staff, but in the increasingly chaotic world order or rather a disorder, it is not enough.
But there’s a way to stop this sorry situation — and we need your help.
We need to further deepen Nepal-US friendship and ensure that the values we both share remain safe in Nepal. Nepal Matters for America is working non-stop to fill that diplomatic gap. Since we identified this weakness and began our initiative in this political town with an understanding with Nepal Congressional Caucus at the Capitol Hill four years ago, we have been able to establish ourselves as the premier Nepal think tank in Washington. We are so proud to share with you that the policy influence we generated here by reaching out to US governmental and non-governmental organizations, experts and media as well as the diplomatic community is unprecedented.
Our policy research work and recommendations regarding Nepal have been published in major international outlets and think tanks including those in Washington, New Delhi, Kathmandu and elsewhere.
The list of our achievement in this area is long — from bringing Nepal into attention of US strategic documents – US’s Indo-Pacific strategy – to help getting better jobs for American or Nepalese students through our internship programs etc.
We are so excited to have built tremendous goodwill that is why we are invited by high level policy community for deliberations on Nepal policy. Similarly, the fact that we are invited by diplomatic missions in town on different occasions shows growing respect for Nepal. We are grateful for our American friends who supported our initiative in the ways they could.
Although we have achieved a lot, we can’t sit on the sidelines and watch other leading the conversations about Nepal in foreign capitals. Our effort continues.
Will you, as a friend of Nepal Matters , join in doing this great service to beautiful Nepal?
Thank you for all you will do with Nepal Matters and for the future of our country.
Dr. Anil Sigdel, PhD
Founding Director
Nepal Matters for America 