The pre-consultative meetings of the Nepal Development Forum (NDF) end on Friday, and have brought heightened donor concern about Nepal's parliamentary crisis and the conflict to the fore. Most donors have made restoration of democracy and conflict resolution conditionalities to future aid, with some even including respect for human rights by the security forces as a pre-requisite.

Government officials admit the crises have made it difficult to ask for more aid, but say they need to know the level of program, sectoral and project support to plan future activities.

The fortnight-long consultations focused on revising progress since the last NDF in 2002 and reviewing changes given the altered security, development and governance scenario. "We have been discussing future strategies to continue the programs that were decided during the last NDF," said National Planning Commission Vice Chairman Shankar Sharma.

The discussions focused on how to keep the development momentum from slipping under the conflict situation. Both bilateral and multilateral donors have stressed the need to change development models given the problems Nepal is reeling under. "We have received some new funds despite the conflict," said Sharma.

Some bilateral donors have placed their programs under the UN umbrella while others have started work without associating themselves with government networks to avoid Maoist confrontation. Some donors have argued again that service delivery should be attempted in Maoist-held areas, even if it means working with the rebels.

But by far the major disagreement between the government and donors is over making specific aid commitments. Government officials want donors to commit before the main conference on 5-6 May. Donors have been saying that there has to be adequate discussion on aid policy first, while the government has been insisting that they ease their conditions.