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Event Name: Nepal Humanitarian Conference (NHC) and Asia Pacific Local Leaders Summit (APLL 2025)
Date: August 18-21, 2025
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Organized by:
Co-Organized by:
Overview
The humanitarian system is under increasing strain as disasters intensify, and social inequalities deepen, leaving more people in need than ever. Despite rising demands, funding has not kept pace, and existing top down aid structures often fail to meet the diverse needs of affected communities. Local and national organizations—those closest to crises—continue to be sidelined, with limited power, resources, and recognition.
Because of these growing challenges, the Asia Pacific region identified an urgent need for reform. In response, the Nepal Humanitarian Conference (NHC) and the Asia Pacific Local Leaders Summit (APLL 2025) brought together leaders in Kathmandu to advance dialogue on localization, strengthen community centered humanitarian approaches, and promote a more inclusive, resilient system that empowers local actors and respects community agency.
The event was organized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and co-organized by the Disaster Preparedness Network–Nepal (DPNet), Disaster Management Network Nepal (DiMaNN), NGO Federation of Nepal, National Society for Earthquake Technology–Nepal (NSET), and the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR).
Objective:
Main objective of the NHC and APLL 2025 is to facilitate collaborative dialogue among the actors and the stakeholders to amplify local voices in humanitarian and nexus discussions, promote the localization agenda through actionable plans, and establish frameworks for ongoing learning and knowledge-sharing among regional leaders, international NGOs, and donors.
Key Highlights
- High-Level Participation: Brought together 200+ participants from 150+ organizations, including 25+ international delegates, government representatives, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners.
- Kathmandu Covenant: Participants endorsed the Kathmandu Covenant, a regional commitment to strengthen locally led humanitarian action through:
- Championing local leadership
- Promoting equitable partnerships and direct funding
- Amplifying community voices
- Upholding humanitarian principles and protection
- Knowledge Exchange: Featured 21 locally harvested solutions and experience-sharing sessions, followed by a panel discussion on emerging localization priorities.
- Regional Initiatives: Marked the launch of the Aasha Fund and the Nepal Localisation Lab, advancing localization efforts across the Asia-Pacific region.
- Strengthened Collaboration: Reinforced regional dialogue and collective action to promote a more inclusive, locally led, and resilient humanitarian system.
Document
Kathmandu Covenant
