Nepal rejects foreign aid offer amid flood crisis
The Balen Shah government in Nepal has declined offers of foreign assistance for flood relief and rescue operations.
The Balen Shah government of Nepal has rejected offers of foreign aid for flood relief and rescue. During the devastating earthquake in 2015, several political parties in Nepal opposed the assistance provided by the Indian government. Citizens and politicians of Nepal had termed it a threat to the country's sovereignty.
According to a report by The Kathmandu Post, the Nepal government has declined offers from several countries to send foreign rescue teams following the devastating floods. At least 469 people have died in this disaster, while hundreds are still missing. The Nepal government claims that its security agencies are capable of handling the search and rescue operations.
After the sudden floods in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river areas near the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, rescuers are searching for missing people in the mud and debris. According to The Kathmandu Post, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs received formal and informal offers from several countries and international organizations to send their rescue teams. However, the government has decided to keep the operation under the leadership of Nepali security agencies.
An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the newspaper,
"We received similar offers from China, India, and other countries, but we had to decline them." According to Reuters, the ministry clarified that Nepal does not require assistance from other countries for the rescue operation.
It is being reported that,
this decision was made considering the experience of the devastating earthquake in 2015. At that time, the arrival of a large number of foreign rescue teams led to several coordination and management issues. Nepal currently seeks economic assistance through a centralized system rather than foreign rescue teams. According to officials, additional support from the international community will be sought during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
The scope of the disaster is extremely widespread. Nepal Police reported on Friday that 469 people have died so far, while 1,545 people have been rescued in injured condition. According to disaster management officials, about a thousand people are still missing, including 28 police personnel. A total of 4,348 personnel from Nepal Police have been deployed in the search and rescue operation. Officials have safely evacuated 644 people from Rasuwa, 898 from Nuwakot, and three from Dhading.
A large number of foreign nationals are also among the missing. According to a report by The Kathmandu Post, 178 Indians, 65 Americans, 51 Malaysians, 53 Ukrainians, 33 British, 35 Australians, and 25 Canadians are still unaccounted for. In addition, citizens from several other countries are also missing. According to Chinese officials, contact has not been established with at least 100 Chinese nationals.
Nepal has welcomed international economic and humanitarian assistance. The United States has announced a donation of $500,000, while the World Health Organization has sent emergency medical supplies. Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also established an 'emergency control room' to coordinate information related to foreign nationals affected by the floods, search and rescue operations, and consular assistance.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross has issued an emergency appeal for $31 million to assist those affected by the severe floods and landslides on the Nepal-Tibet border. The Switzerland-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) appealed for CHF 25 million the day after releasing CHF 1 million for immediate life-saving operations. On the other hand, UNICEF teams have reached Nuwakot. Relief and rescue operations in flood-affected areas have been intensified. UNICEF representatives are engaged in assessing the humanitarian situation and delivering essential assistance to displaced people.
A UNICEF representative who visited the ground situation told ANI,
"We are assessing the situation and working in coordination with the Nepal government."
Following the severe floods in Nepal, Britain has offered £5 million in financial aid and emergency rescue teams. Hundreds of people have died in this disaster, while more than a thousand are missing. Among the missing are approximately 33 British nationals.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the scenes emerging from Nepal on Thursday (27 August 2026) as "extremely horrifying." He appealed to British nationals in distress to follow the directions of local authorities. He stated that Britain has taken immediate steps by deploying consular staff in the affected area to provide round-the-clock assistance to British nationals. During a conversation with journalists on a tour of South Wales, Burnham said, "The images emerging from Nepal are extremely devastating."