BIMSTEC senior officials’ meeting decides revitalize BIMSTEC process

Kathmandu, Feb 8: The seventh session of the BIMSTEC senior officials’ meeting has concluded successfully in the capital city on Tuesday.
This is the first meeting Nepal convened after assuming the chairmanship of BIMSTEC in 2014.
A press note issued after the meeting shared that the meeting took significant decision to revitalize BIMSTEC process. Nepal offered to host the fifteenth BIMISTEC ministerial meeting in June 2017 and the fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Nepal towards the end of 2017 in consultation with the BIMSTEC member states. The agenda of the meeting included the important priority sectors such as connectivity, trade, tourism, investment, energy, technology transfer etc.
The meeting tasked the Eminent Persons’ Groups (EPG) to work out the BIMSTEC vision- a roadmap for the future direction of BIMSTEC in line with UN Agenda 2030. It also decided to conclude the BIMSTEC free trade agreement at the earliest.
All the member states expressed firm commitment to the effective implementation of the Outcome Document of the BIMSTEC Leaders’ Retreat held in Goa, India on 16 October 2016 and its 16-point agenda of action. The meeting agreed to constitute separate expert level working groups for BIMSTEC in the issues ranging from trade facilitation agreement to cooperation on countering radicalization and terrorism.
Similarly, Nepal offered to prepare a Concept Paper on the Mountain Economy for exploring and exploiting its potential. Also offered by Nepal was hosting an expert group meeting on the implementation of the poverty action plan.
The member states expressed readiness to sign the memorandum of understanding for the establishment of the BIMSTEC grid interconnection at the third energy ministers’ meeting which is expected to be held in Kathmandu from 30-31 March 2017 after completing their internal procedures.
Moreover, the meeting agreed to mark the 20th anniversary of BIMSTEC in a benefitting manner organizing the various activities in the BIMSTEC secretariat as well as respective member states so as to enhance its visibility. RSS