UNDP and Ncell partner to promote sustainable development solutions

NL Today

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Kathmandu: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Ncell Axiata Limited entered into a partnership to promote sustainable development solutions, including through the promotion of cycling for healthy lives and cities in Nepal.

UNDP Resident Representative Ayshanie Medagangoda Labe and Ncell CEO Andy Chong signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) virtually to this effect on Friday.

The cycle campaign, dubbed ‘Greenway’, was originally launched in January 2021 with the objective of promoting sustainable urban transportation and environment-friendly lifestyle choices for urban dwellers. The aim is to demonstrate how cycling is an alternative mode of transport that is clean, healthy, and affordable for commuters in cities, Ncell said in a statement.

Under this MoU signed on the eve of the World Environment Day 2021, UNDP and Ncell, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), will collaborate to further expand the coverage of the cycle campaign to other aspiring cities outside the Kathmandu Valley. The campaign will make use of existing technology to track, map, credit, and reward cycling for healthy cities.

People will be motivated to use bicycles or switch to cycling through a game that incentivizes cyclists with rewards, and also favors clean businesses that sponsor and take part in the game.

The campaign advocates for increased investment in cycle-friendly, safe infrastructure and aims to introduce incentives to motivate people to switch to or continue commuting on bicycles for multiple reasons, including, economic, health, environmental as well as Covid related safety reasons.