The April 2015 earthquake in Nepal killed almost 9,000 people and posed serious challenges to the country’s still-tenuous recovery from years of civil war amid an ambitious renegotiation of its constitution. On the first anniversary of the disaster, the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa for a discussion of the earthquake’s aftermath, the nation’s political transition and ways forward.

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The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on April 25, 2015, struck the heart of Nepal, just 77 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu. In addition to the casualties, more than 900,000 homes were destroyed or damaged. The United States joined the international community in relief and rescue efforts.

The discussion addressed how the quake has affected Nepal's internal political processes and the role of international assistance and rebuilding in bridging Nepal’s divides. Continue the conversation on Twitter with #NepalAnniversary.

Speaker

Nancy Lindborg, Welcome and Moderator
President, U.S. Institute of Peace

Nisha Desai Biswal, Introduction
Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs

His Excellency Kamal Thapa, Keynote Speaker
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Nepal
Consolidation of Peace, Stability and Democracy in Nepal and Nepal-US Relations for Enhanced Prosperity

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