Federal State Building

Elected women representatives discussing the foundations of leadership for meaningful political participation.
Elected women representatives discussing the foundations of leadership for meaningful political participation. © QB Maharjan

The political transformation of Nepal from a centralised unitary government into a federal system of government, in which all people can participate, addresses the root causes of conflict in Nepal. The implementation of the 2015 Constitution is thus not only the pathway towards lasting peace, but also a historic opportunity to promote sustainable and inclusive development and democratic accountability. Nepal has come a long way in implementing federalism and made remarkable progress in a very short time.

Despite the positive achievements, federalisation in Nepal remains unfinished business – the shift from a unitary to a federal state is a highly political process. Based on its long-term partnership, trust and access to political decision-makers, Switzerland is uniquely placed to support federal state building and accompany Nepal on the road towards federalisation. It will continue to do so by working closely with all three spheres of government, supporting the strengthening of intergovernmental collaboration, specifically between provincial and local governments, in line with the 3C principle (collaboration, coordination and coexistence) of the Constitution. Swiss interventions aim to strengthen the constitutional mandates of the provincial and local governments so that they can provide services to their citizens in an inclusive manner. Switzerland will also uphold its diplomatic commitment to supporting Nepal in concluding the peace process and ending impunity.