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Nepal - Netherlands Relations
Nepal and the Netherlands established diplomatic relations on April 2, 1960.
Both the countries enjoy relations marked by goodwill, friendship, understanding and cooperation.
Nepalese Ambassador in Belgium is concurrently accredited to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Bilateral cooperation
Dutch Economic cooperation in Nepal started in 1978. An agreement on the employment of Dutch Volunteers was signed on May 16, 1983.
Following this, the SNV Organization of the Netherlands was established in Nepal, which was subsequently changed to SNV-Netherlands
Development Organization in 1989 as a result of Dutch financial assistance to a few projects.
Dutch assistance to Nepal in the past covered different areas: health, watershed management, natural resources conservation,
earthquake relief operations, trial bridge building, bee keeping training, agro forestry and community development, irrigation
and rural development, etc. The Dutch assistance currently focuses on two sectors: environmental protection (including biodiversity
and renewable energy) and good governance (mainly supporting decentralization and local governance).
The Dutch Government’s biggest project in Nepal is Bio-diversity Sector Support Programme(BSSP) which was launched in
December 2002 with a pilot phase and is expected to be completed by 2009.
Dutch NGOs
In the Netherlands there are more than fifty NGOs which are involved in the field of development activities for Nepal.
The ICFON (International Council of the Friends of Nepal-Netherlands) and the Nepal Development Academy (NDA) are the leading
NGOs that cooperate with many other NGOs. These organizations also play a key role in the promotion of Nepali culture
and tourism in the Netherlands. Other active NGOs are the Vajra Foundation, Madat Nepal, Tamsarya, Veldwerk, Sanghimala,
Sponsortrek, Holland Building Nepal, Nepal Samaj Nederland, Student Project Foundation, Non-Resident Nepali Association,
Kiran Foundation, Nepal Oral Health Society, Stichting Do-It, Childrens Home Dharan,Maiti Nepal and Vereniging Nederland Nepal.
In the Netherlands there are some International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) that support the activities of NGOs
operating in Nepal.
Dutch Scholarship
The Dutch government has been providing scholarship to Nepalese students for higher studies in different places in the Netherlands.
The scheme, conducted largely on competitive basis, has benefited both HMG officials as well as private students from Nepal.
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