In light of the Nepal Government’s recent announcement on national policies and programs for the coming year, Nepal Policy Institute (NPI), a free-thinking international think tank of global Nepali diaspora, took the liberty to share the policy program document with a large number of scholars, experts and practitioners across continents soliciting their views. This narrative, as summarized in this paper, largely reflects brief views expressed by the diaspora members from North Americas, Europe, Australia, Thailand, and Japan.

NPI sincerely desires that this presents an opportunity to reflect on the developmental concerns of the global Nepalese and, thus, shares this narrative with the National Planning Commission (NPC) with the expectation that this will be shared with relevant Government Ministries, institutions and bodies. NPI is hopeful that all relevant issues will be taken into consideration by the Government in the future policy planning process.

This high-level description on policy priority portrays longer period perspectives for not all declared programs could be delivered in a year on some of the program have multi- year dimension. It is understandable high-level proclamations often could not possibly be accomplished for various reasons. The Government’s positive description of the state of programs in the middle of a global threat, looming over Nepal too, is little surprising because the narratives are short on what plans Government have developed to-date for the rescue and reintegration of stranded economic heroes of Nepal (hard- working citizens of Nepal) now-nearly abandoned by both receiving and home countries.

There is a growing fear that the world economy may endure an unprecedented recession and depression combined. The world is about to experience a disconnect in multilateralism impacted by ensuing global trading frictions and pandemic tensions between the economic and trading powers. The economic nationalism could alter the face of the liberal free-market and trading alliances. International experts believe this is as serious setback to economic liberalism with unknown socio-economic ramifications, not experienced since World War II.

The policy and program drafting process could have been desirable with participation of experts, civil society members, including diaspora experts. Nonetheless, sharing diaspora observations could be an important milestone for the Government to reflect on NPI inputs to the upcoming national annual budgetary processes, and I am gratified for this opportunity to share diaspora views with the Government.

Activities done for review:

• Secondary data were analyzed against the Nepal’s SDG 4 targets and indicators – Annex.
• Nine external experts’ views were solicited on the NPI’s draft.