Nepal - Facilitation of Humanitarian Relief Cargo Clearance, Coordination and Dispatch for Flood Response Operations, October 2026

Content

Note

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is intended to provide practical guidance to humanitarian partners supporting Rasuwa Bhotekoshi flood response operations. It summarizes operational arrangements and decisions communicated by the Government of Nepal and relevant authorities. It does not replace national laws, customs regulations, existing agreements between humanitarian organizations and the Government of Nepal, or organization-specific procedures, mandates, privileges, or immunities.

1. Purpose

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) establishes the procedure for the reception, temporary storage, handling, coordination, and dispatch of international humanitarian relief cargo arriving in Nepal during disaster response operations. It aims to ensure the timely, accountable, and coordinated delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

2. Scope

• This procedure applies to:
  International humanitarian relief cargo arriving in Nepal by air.
• Relief items provided by foreign governments, United Nations agencies, Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, NGOs, NGOs, donors, and humanitarian partners.
• Cargo received, temporarily stored, handled and transited through designated Humanitarian Staging Areas (HSA) and government-managed emergency warehouses (with exceptions as noted below).
• The dispatch and distribution of relief items to disaster-affected areas within Nepal.

3. Guiding Principles

• Humanitarian imperative and principles
• National leadership and coordination
• Timeliness and efficiency
• Accountability and transparency
• Complementarity among humanitarian actors
• Support to affected populations based on assessed needs