KATHMANDU, July 27: Pre-summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is taking place in Kathmandu next week, prior to the fourth Summit.

The objective of the establishment of BIMSTEC, a sub regional body comprising seven countries–Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bhutan– is to achieve socio-economic development by assimilating the spirit of equality and cooperation. It was established on 6 June 1997 by adopting the Bangkok Declaration. Its headquarters is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The pre-summit scheduled for coming August 1-2 will be of the people’s level not the government level. The incumbent and retired senior officials of foreign ministries from all member countries will be attending the event to be held on the initiation of an organization called ‘Institute for Strategic Socio-Economic Research’.

As stated by acting chair of organizing committee Prof Govinda Nepal, ambassadors of BIMSTEC countries, senior officials of external/foreign affairs ministries, intellectual community and people earning names in socio-economic sectors will be featured in the pre-summit.

Following the pre-summit, reports prepared by the organizations of the BIMSTEC countries working on socio-economic and poverty issues will be presented to Nepal in its capacity as the BIMSTEC current chair. RSS

KATHMANDU, June 4: The government has decided to propose the dates August end (30 or 31) of early September (6 or 7) to hold the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit.

A cabinet meeting held on Sunday decided to propose the said dates for BIMSTEC to its member countries to gain a consensus for the same, according to a press release issued by the cabinet.

The government has also formed a sub-committee for this purpose.

BIMSTEC is a regional body founded in July 1997 which is formed by countries including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand along with Nepal.

Earlier, Secretary General of BIMSTEC M. Shahidul Islam visited Nepal to see the preparations for the upcoming summit. He had also met President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali in this connection.

KATHMANDU, June 3: Foreign Minister Pradip Gyawali has said that the current Nepal’s foreign policy is focused on neighbors, regional organizations, multilateral organizations and labor destinations.

During a meeting with media editors on Sunday, Minister Gyawali made it clear that the bases of the foreign relations were sovereign equality, non-interference, mutual respect and benefit.

“Now onwards, the internal politics never becomes an agenda of bilateral discussion,” he underscored, adding that although nature and culture were Nepal’s major tourism focus, Nepal’s home-driven peace process should also be given due publicity.

According to him, it was a bad omen that Nepal was incurring a huge trade deficit to China and India. The relation with India, which was in unease earlier, has now been balanced, the Foreign Minister claimed.

He informed that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli would visit China in the second week of June. During the visit, concrete works would be done relating to the cross-border transmission line, trade and transit, aviation, pipeline, Tokha-Chhahare tunnel and the projects under the BRI, he stressed.

Voicing concern about the postponement of the SAARC Summit, he clarified that Nepal was not in favor of seeking an alternative to the SAARC.

He also informed that there was a plan to hold BIMSTEC Summit within this year, and process was on for Nepal to become supervisor for the dialogue partner of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. “Nepal development partners have been urged to invest and help for the development of the country,” he said.

“Efforts were on to sign labor agreement with various labor receiving countries, and to facilitate welfare of Nepali migrant workers’ there, and create environment conducive for them to send back home their earnings,” he added.

Similarly, efforts were on to make a diplomatic code of conduct and setting criteria for ambassador appointment, and reviewing situation of Nepal’s ambassadors and diplomatic commissions, he said.

He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Eminent Persons Group on Nepal-India Relations, while saying relations between Nepal and India would reach a historic level when things move ahead this way. RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has underscored the need of stronger partnership and deeper collaboration among the BIMSTEC member states in order to combat the challenges facing the BIMSTEC region.

In his inaugural address to the 15th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in the capital city on Thursday evening, the Prime Minister said, “Poverty remains the most formidable challenge in our path to growth and prosperity. We must collectively and decisively overcome this challenge to enable our people’s right to live with dignity and hour.”

Prime Minister Deuba expressed worry that like any other regions, the BIMSTEC region confronts with the dangers of transnational crimes, terror and threats of destruction and damage. “Militant extremis, crimes, and human, arms and drug trafficking have deeply disturbed peace and harmony in our society,” he added.

He reminded that Nepali firmly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Terrorism cannot be justified on any ground. According to him, climate change, and natural calamities pose serious threats to BIMSTEC’s very survival.

Moreover, the PM Deuba said, “To talk of my own country, Nepal is vulnerable to natural disasters as evidenced by the great earthquakes in 2015. We’re also bearing the brunt of climate change despite out negligible contribution to greenhouse gas emission.”

The international community was informed about Nepal’s current political developments – implementation of the constitution the topmost priority, conduct of the local level election, and preparations for the next level elections, and engagement with all political stakeholders to create an enabling atmosphere to bring them on board.

Likewise, the PM said regional cooperation remains an important element in Nepal’s foreign policy. “We believe that regional cooperation is not a choice but a compulsion,” he said underscoring the need that development challenges of countries in special situation such as LDCs and LLDCs must be given due attention in any collaborative efforts. Attainment of SDGs remains all the more challenging in these countries.

PM Deuba argued that Asia holds the key to future of the world, and the BIMSTEC region remains an important part of the Asian community. “We need to ensure physical connectivity, digital connectivity, and connectivity of minds, especially among researchers and visionary thinkers all across the region. We need to work together with visionary blueprint for development,” he emphasized.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary and Chair of 18th Session of BIMSTEC senior officials’ meeting, Shanker Das Bairagi, informed that the meeting discussed various issues as early finalization of the BIMSTEC free trade area agreements, signing of MoU for the establishment of the BIMSTEC grid interconnection, conclusion of memorandum of association on the establishment of BIMSTEC technology transfer facility.

The meeting also felt the need for concentration on core areas (trade, investment, connectivity, energy, tourism) rather than proliferation. It urged member states for an early operationalization of BIMSTEC centers established in the respective member states, he added.
On the occasion, Nepal proposed to circulate a draft concept paper on Mountain Economy and host an expert level meeting to finalize the concept paper. RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug 11: The Foreign/External Affairs Ministers from the BIMSTEC member countries collectively paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Thursday evening. 

KATHMANDU, Aug 10: The 15th session of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Senior Officials’ Meeting kicked off in the Capital on Thursday. The two-day meeting will set the agenda for the 15th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting scheduled for August 11.

Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shanker Das Bairagi is leading Nepali delegation to the meeting.

Likewise, Indian team is led by Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, Preeti Saran, Bhutanese team by Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sonam Tshong and Bangladeshi team by Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Shahidul Haque.

Similarly, Director General of the International Organization and Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, U Kyaw Moe Tun is representing Myanmar while Sri Lankan team is led by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Grace Aasirwathan and Thai team by Deputy Director General of the Department of International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Eksiri Pintaruchi.

Established 30 years ago, countries like Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand are members. Its Secretariat is based in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.

The meeting will deliberate on 14 different themes identified by BIMSTEC as trade, investment, transport and communication, energy, tourism, agriculture, counter-terrorism, poverty alleviation, public health, environment and natural disasters and climate change.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is scheduled to inaugurate and address the minister-level meeting this evening. Also this evening the foreign and external affairs ministers of the member countries will collectively pay courtesy call on the Prime Minister.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Krishna Bahadur Mahara will lead the Nepali team in the minister-level meeting of BIMSTEC which is in the 20th year of its establishment.

DPM Mahara will also organize a dinner in honour of the participating delegates on Thursday evening alone.
Nepal assumed the chairmanship of BIMSTEC, the sub-regional organization of seven countries of south and south-east Asia, in 2014. RSS