Bangkok: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has emphasized the importance of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in fostering regional unity and collective cooperation.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Dr Rana made these remarks during the 20th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, held as part of the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. She highlighted the need for BIMSTEC to serve as a platform reflecting the shared aspirations of the citizens across the Bay of Bengal region. Dr Rana described BIMSTEC as a “dazzling rainbow” that represents the dynamic regions of South Asia and Southeast Asia, each with its unique civilizations, cultures, histories, and ecological diversity. She called for efforts to unlock the economic potential of the region’s citizens.
Dr Rana also reiterated Nepal’s commitment to regionalism and multilateralism through peaceful, equitable, and inclusive means under United Nations leadership. She emphasized Nepal’s active participation in regional and global forums to enhance peace, security, and sustainable development, noting that Nepal is the largest contributor of peacekeeping troops to the United Nations.
Furthermore, Dr Rana reaffirmed Nepal’s dedication to BIMSTEC’s charter and principles since joining in 2004. She addressed pressing challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, environmental degradation, and pollution, urging immediate action in infrastructure enhancement, disaster early warning systems, and involving local communities in environmental protection initiatives.
The Minister welcomed India’s proposal to establish a BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management. She expressed confidence that this initiative would support regional efforts in managing natural disasters and leverage artificial intelligence to tackle these challenges.
Dr Rana underscored BIMSTEC’s pivotal role in promoting peace, unity, and environmental sustainability in the Bay of Bengal region and beyond. She called for transforming BIMSTEC into a robust partnership platform and a strong regional organization, emphasizing the need for cooperation, regional unity, and political will to align with global trends.
She proposed several key initiatives, including the swift establishment of a BIMSTEC Free Trade Area, implementation of the EPG Report, and projects identified in the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. She advocated for advancing BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection and fully operationalizing regional centers and entities.
Additionally, Dr Rana highlighted the importance of leveraging synergies among Member States through collaborative strategies focusing on resource utilization, workforce mobilization, policy alignment, trade and transit facilitation, energy cooperation, investment promotion, technology transfer, regional infrastructure development, and integrated Digital Public Infrastructure for e-governance services.
She also called for cooperation among regional educational institutions, public awareness on maternal, child, and mental health issues, and capacity building to combat diseases linked to climate-related complications.
Dr Rana prioritized gender equality and women’s empowerment, urging member states to share successful strategies for integrating women in governance, development, and conflict management. This, she noted, would address historical injustices and fulfill promises of a better world. She advocated for collaboration with development partners and regional and international organizations to promote culture and tourism, alleviate poverty, and seek solutions to climate-related challenges through people-to-people connections.
The meeting saw participation from foreign ministers of BIMSTEC member states.