Sushma Swaraj concludes Nepal visit

KATHMANDU: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today left for home after concluding her two-day visit to Nepal during which she announced USD one billion in assistance to quake-ravaged country for its massive reconstruction programme.

Swaraj visited the country to attend the International Conference on Nepal's Reconstruction (ICNR), organised by the Nepalese government to raise funds for carrying out rebuilding of areas devastated by the massive earthquake of April 25 which claimed nearly 9,000 lives.

In the conference, India pledged USD one billion in assistance to Nepal for its reconstruction programme and asserted that it will strongly stand behind the Nepalese government.

On the sidelines of the conference, Swaraj also met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and raised the issue of China blocking India's move in the UN for action against Pakistan over 26/11 mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi's release.

She also called on Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala yesterday and assured India's unstinted support to Nepal in its massive reconstruction efforts.

The donors' conference was attended by several countries, including China, Britain, Norway, Japan, Sri Lanka, the European Union besides the UN, World Bank and Asian Development Bank.