New Delhi:Kathmandu Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has departed for India to participate in the home ministerial meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Gurung left Kathmandu for New Delhi at 100 pm. He is set to address the BIMSTEC event, which will be attended by ministers responsible for internal security from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
The meeting will address regional cooperation on issues such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and sale, money laundering, terrorist financing, disaster safety, and cybercrimes. The Home Ministry indicated that issues and documents endorsed by various security mechanisms under BIMSTEC will also be addressed, with a declaration issued accordingly.
Nepal will prioritize reducing risks from natural hazards, enhancing early warning systems, and fostering regional cooperation on integrated rescue and relief operations.
This marks Home Minister Gurung’s first official visit since assuming office. The high-level mechanism on security, a critical initiative for BIMSTEC cooperation, is convening in India for the first time. This mechanism was proposed during the fourth BIMSTEC summit in 2018.
Home Minister Gurung is also scheduled for meetings with his counterparts from other member states and will return home on October 14.