After Lawmakers Urge More Help for Nepal, Rubio Calls Ruling Party Chief, Offers Additional Assistance
Secretary Marco Rubio . (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed condolences to those affected by devastating floods in Nepal and said the United States was prepared to work closely with the Nepali government to provide additional assistance based on the country’s needs, according to a State Department spokesperson.
Mr. Rubio spoke with Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, on Sept. 7, the spokesperson said.
“The Secretary expressed his heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the devastating floods and reaffirmed that the United States stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal at this difficult time,” the spokesperson said in background comments provided to NepYork.
Mr. Rubio also reiterated that the United States was prepared to work closely with the Government of Nepal “to deliver additional assistance that responds directly to Nepal’s needs,” the spokesperson said.
The secretary emphasized that “supporting American citizens and their families is the State Department’s top priority,” according to the spokesperson.
In an earlier account of the conversation released by the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Mr. Lamichhane said Nepal was mobilizing all available resources for search, rescue and relief operations following the floods.
Mr. Lamichhane also said Nepal was committed to the safety and protection of foreign nationals in the country, as well as Nepali citizens, according to the party’s statement.
He thanked the U.S. government for its assistance during the emergency. Mr. Rubio responded that the United States was prepared to provide additional support to the Nepali government, the party said.
The State Department has not publicly provided further details about Mr. Lamichhane’s comments during the call or specified the nature, amount or timing of any potential additional U.S. assistance.
A Call as Washington Steps Up Its Response
The conversation has drawn attention because it came as the United States intensified its engagement over the disaster and the fate of missing American citizens.
Nepal’s Foreign Ministry was reported to have learned of the Rubio-Lamichhane call through media reports. Neither the ministry nor the State Department has publicly provided an account of the conversation beyond the State Department spokesperson’s comments.
The fact that Mr. Rubio spoke with Mr. Lamichhane rather than Prime Minister Balendra Shah has also prompted discussion in Nepal. U.S. officials have previously met with Mr. Lamichhane, including Ambassador Sergio Gor and Assistant Secretary of State Sameer Paul Kapoor.
There is no public U.S. government statement indicating that Mr. Rubio’s call was intended to sideline Mr. Shah or that the contacts were directly connected. The State Department described the conversation as focused on assistance for flood-affected Nepal and support for American citizens and their families.
Lawmakers Press for a Broader American Role
Mr. Rubio’s call came days after a group of members of Congress urged the State Department to use every available resource to support search-and-rescue operations in Nepal and help protect and recover American citizens affected by the disaster.
In a Sept. 4 letter, the lawmakers, including Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, Ro Khanna of California and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, urged the State Department to mobilize resources to support ongoing rescue operations, locate missing people and assist Nepal’s recovery.
The lawmakers also urged the department to prioritize efforts to locate missing U.S. citizens.
They called for the deployment of a Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, to affected communities, as well as regular updates for families of missing U.S. citizens and members of Congress and adequate staffing for consular hotlines.
The letter also urged the use of thermal and infrared drones, satellite imagery and other aerial surveillance technology to help locate missing people.
According to the letter, a glacial collapse in a mountainous area on Aug. 26 triggered flooding and landslides that caused extensive destruction in communities along the Trishuli and Bhotekoshi rivers. Homes, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and other critical infrastructure were damaged, the lawmakers said.
Citing Nepal’s disaster-management authorities, the lawmakers said more than 1,300 people had died and thousands were missing as of Sept. 4. The letter said 75 U.S. citizens were among those missing.
Washington Expands Its Humanitarian Response
The United States previously provided $500,000 through Catholic Relief Services for emergency shelter, relief supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene assistance.
The State Department announced $3.6 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Nepal on Aug. 29.
The lawmakers said the initial assistance was important but argued that it should be substantially increased because of the scale of the disaster. They called for additional international disaster assistance funding for search-and-rescue operations, food aid, water and sanitation services, transportation and longer-term reconstruction planning.
The State Department has separately warned Americans not to travel to the Rasuwagadhi-Timure-Syafrubesi area of Rasuwa District because of flood damage, disrupted transportation and communications, ongoing search-and-rescue operations and the risk of further flooding and landslides.