The retreat focused to strengthen collaboration in environment, trade, culture, and tourism to ensure tangible benefits for the region’s people
During the Second Retreat of the Foreign Ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) this month in New Delhi, Bhutan had stressed for the need of stronger collaboration among member states.
The Minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, D.N Dungyel had stressed the need for stronger collaboration among member states in areas such as environment, trade, culture, and tourism to ensure tangible benefits for the region’s people.
Bhutan’s Foreign Minister also proposed for cooperation including initiatives in space, health, trade and investment, digital public infrastructure, people-to-people connections, youth exchanges, and cultural exchanges.
India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, who also chaired the retreat, emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in addressing global and regional developments, highlighting the need for renewed focus on capacity building and economic cooperation.
The Joint Secretary, East, of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, presented several proposals for BIMSTEC Institutional Building. It includes establishing a Disaster Management Center in Guwahati and creating a BIMSTEC Center for Excellence in Agriculture in Northeast India.
Other proposals were setting up a BIMSTEC Center for Excellence for Maritime Transport on the Bay of Bengal and operationalizing the BIMSTEC Energy Center in Bengaluru.
Lyonpo Dhungyel expressed gratitude to the Indian government for these initiatives, emphasizing Bhutan’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the importance of the proposed BIMSTEC Disaster Management Center. He also called for concrete steps to enhance regional trade and investment, particularly in light of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and urged the finalization of a Free Trade Agreement.
The retreat, attended by the foreign ministers of BIMSTEC countries, provided an informal platform to discuss cooperation and accelerate action in various areas. The proposals are expected to be submitted at the upcoming 6th BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 4, 2024.
On the sidelines, Lyonpo met with Dr. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary designate Vikram Misri, discussing bilateral relations. Later, Lyonpo attended a dinner hosted by Dr. Jaishankar in honor of the visiting foreign ministers, followed by a joint courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Government House on July 12, 2024.
Bhutan’s Foreign Minister congratulated Dr. S. Jaishankar on his recent election victory and reaffirmed Bhutan’s commitment to advancing the BIMSTEC agenda.
Meanwhile, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is an international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people and having a combined gross domestic product of USD 5.2 trillion. It was founded on 6 June, 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration with its headquarters at Dhaka, Bangladesh.
By Sangay Rabten, Thimphu
