Ruling alliance member CPN (US) to stage nationwide protest against MCC

KATHMANDU, Feb 10: CPN (Unified Socialist),  a member of the ruling alliance, has decided to stage a nationwide protest against the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC). The party has decided to stage a nationwide protest on Falgun 1 (February 13). The party is scheduled to stage a protest in all 77 districts of the country at 2 PM on February. The party’s decision came at the time when the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba led government was preparing to ratify the MCC through parliament. The government has already summoned a meeting of the lower house of parliament on February 3.  

सम्बन्धित सामग्री

Ruling alliance decides to ratify MCC with ‘interpretative declaration’

KATHMANDU, Feb 27: The ruling alliance has decided to ratify the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) with an ‘interpretative declaration’. A meeting of the alliance held earlier this morning at the Prime Minister’s Office Residence at Baluwatar took the decision to this effect. With this decision, the MCC compact is likely to be ratified on Sunday itself as the meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) is scheduled for later today.

Ruling alliance meeting today as govt plans tabling MCC in parliament

KATHMANDU, Feb 20: A meeting of the ruling alliance is scheduled for 10 AM on Sunday. The ruling alliance has been holding a series of meetings to forge a consensus regarding the MCC as the alliance is largely divided on the issue. The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and a faction of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP)-led by Babu Ram Bhattarai want the MCC to be ratified but the CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (US) and the other half of JSP-led by Upendra Yadav are opposing the MCC. As the deadline of the compact ratification nears, the government of Nepal is compelled to ratify it through parliament as the United States of America (USA) has already announced to review its diplomatic ties with Nepal in case of failure of ratifying the compact. The key leaders of the alliance are busy holding discussions and doing their best to reach a conclusion regarding the $500 million American grant as the government is preparing to table the compact in parliament any time soon.

Ruling alliance decides not to table MCC in today’s HoR meeting

KATHMANDU, Feb 18: After holding a series of discussions and meetings among the key leaders and political parties, the ruling alliance has decided not to table the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC) in parliament today. The meeting has been attended by the Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist) Madhav Kumar Nepal, Chairman of Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Upendra Yadav among other leaders. Earlier, in a meeting of the ruling alliance held on Thursday, the Prime Minister and President of NC had maintained that the MCC will be tabled in the House of Representatives (HoR) scheduled later today. As the deadline of the compact ratification nears, the government of Nepal is compelled to ratify it through parliament as the United States of America (USA) has already announced to review its diplomatic ties with Nepal in case of failure of ratifying the compact. The key leaders of the alliance are busy holding discussions and doing their best to reach a conclusion regarding the $500 million American grant as the government is preparing to table the compact in parliament any time soon. The government wants the MCC to be ratified while the CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (US) and a faction of JSP are opposing the compact ratification in its present form without amendment.

Ruling alliance meeting on Thursday to make final decision on MCC

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The ruling alliance is scheduled to hold a meeting Thursday to make a final decision regarding the ratification of the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC). The meeting has been summoned for 3 PM at the Prime Minister’s office residence at Baluwatar, according to Ramesh Malla, personal secretary of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of CPN (Maoist Center). A meeting of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and MC’s Chair Dahal took a decision not to table the MCC in Wednesday’s parliament meeting and summoned a meeting of the ruling alliance.

Ruling alliance to hold meeting at Baluwatar, cabinet expansion, MCC main agenda

KATHMANDU, September 10: The ruling alliance is to hold a meeting at the Prime Minister Office Residence at Baluwatar on Friday morning. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 AM this morning and discuss cabinet expansion and the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC) of the United States of America, according to the PM's secretariat. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has failed to give a full shape to the cabinet even after almost two months of his appointment. The ruling parties seem divided as the MCC awaits ratification from parliament while the main opposition party CPN (UML) has been obstructing the federal parliament session time and again.

Ruling alliance not in mood to endorse MCC immediately: Former Speaker Mahara

What will happen to the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact? What will the ruling alliance do?  I have not gone through the response received from the MCC. However, I am well aware about the issues prior to this because I was also connected with this issue. The MCC was initially related only with economic affairs during my tenure as the finance minister. No concrete plan of construction roads and developing the energy sector was mentioned.  However, this has not been limited only to purely economic development as it was during its inception.  Two issues were raised during the agreement. First, the US representatives said that it was a part of the Indo Pacific Strategy (IPS). Then officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs also echoed that it is a part of IPS. It means it is a part of military strategy. Therefore, it should be rectified.  Next, there are some issues which can not be accepted as it is. It should not be above Nepal’s laws and constitution. Nepal should have the right to pick the project and sites as well. Similarly, audits should be carried out by Nepal’s authorities.  Therefore, the MCC Compact should be amended, otherwise it is not acceptable.  MCC clarified that it is not above Nepal’s law and it is not a part of IPS. Can it now be endorsed by parliament?  The recent letter was sent by the MCC. It is an organization under the finance ministry of the US. Therefore, the US government should clarify about the IPS. It should clarify onr statements made by US officials and statements issued by the foreign ministry.  MCC’s Vice President Fatima is on a visit to Nepal. Isn’t her clarification enough?  No. The US government said it was a part of ISP. I also heard that the past government had also signed a confidential agreement.  You were talking about foreing minister’s tour to US?  Yes. I heard about that. However, nothing was disclosed. What I mean to say is that statements alone from the MCC are not enough as US officials had already said it is a part of the ISP. We should seek statements from the US government.  You mean to say that further steps should be taken at the government level, yes?  The Nepal Government should respond. It should deal with the US government.  What happens to the MCC Compact?  I can’t predict anything about it.  What does your party have to say about MCC? Without amendment, the MCC cannot be rectified. What about the ruling alliance? MCC has now become a matter of interest for the general public, our sovereignty and independence.  Besides, the Rastriya Janamorch Party has already announced that it will withdraw its support from the government if MCC is endorsed by parliament. Likewise, CPN (Maoist Center) has maintained that the MCC cannot be rectified from parliament without amendment. We have witnessed row among leaders of Janata Samajbadi Party. The case is similar in the ruling Nepali Congress as well. So, the ruling alliance also believes that it should be endorsed through parliament for now. While you were the speaker of parliament, did the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli pressurize you to endorse the MCC from parliament? Yes, he did. Oli had asked me to endorse the MCC thrice. During that time, NCP used to have two two chairmen. Oli did not think of discussing with his counterpart, Puspha Kamal Dahal regarding the matter. MCC had become an international concern by that time.  Afterwards, the Chinese President Xi Xing Ping visited Nepal. I then told Oli that I will review the matter after Xi’s visit. But, Oli’s pressure remained the same. Oli is a nationalist leader, but his actions seem against the nation. How? That is a matter of his concern. He should not have pressurized me. But, he did and I don’t know why? Has Oli changed his view about MCC now being in a position of the main opposition party? I recently held a discussion with Bishnu Poudel. He asked my view on MCC and I told him I am against it. He then indirectly told me, in his own tone “We are the main opposition party”  and that suggested that UML has also chosen to stand against it. And,this time their view that the MCC is against the nation’s favor and should not be rectified from parliament is a right stand to take. Was it Oli’s mistake to pressurize the speaker of the house to endorse MCC from parliament? As I have said, how could I know his inner thoughts? He could be trying to act against his own will? Or could be acting in a way and thinking in another.

Ruling alliance leaders discuss MCC, cabinet expansion

A meeting of the leaders of the ruling alliance is holding a discussion regarding the expansion of the cabinet and the MCC today.