Foreign Minister calls for regional unity & cooperation at BIMSTEC Summit

KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba of Nepal emphasized the importance of regional unity and collective cooperation for the multilateral technical and economic collaboration of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

Addressing the 20th Ministerial Meeting under the 6th BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok, she highlighted that BIMSTEC represents the shared aspirations of the people in the Bay of Bengal region and that unity and collective efforts are crucial.

She remarked, “BIMSTEC is a shining rainbow representing South Asia and Southeast Asia, with its colors reflecting the region’s rich civilization, culture, history, and environmental diversity. BIMSTEC must strive to further highlight the economic potential of its citizens.”

As a responsible member of the international community, Nepal has consistently supported regionalism and multilateralism within the framework of the United Nations, Dr. Rana clarified.

She added, “We are actively engaged in regional and global platforms to strengthen peace, security, and sustainable development. We take pride in being the country that contributes the most peacekeeping forces to the United Nations.”

Dr. Rana reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to BIMSTEC since its membership in 2004, emphasizing the role of regional prosperity, peace, and unity.

She also pointed out that the Bay of Bengal region faces risks due to climate change, natural disasters, environmental degradation, and pollution.

To address these challenges, she underscored the importance of infrastructure development, early warning systems, and involving local communities in environmental protection.

Welcoming India’s proposal to establish a BIMSTEC Center for Disaster Management, she expressed confidence that the center would prioritize the use of AI to tackle these challenges.

Dr. Rana also expressed optimism that BIMSTEC would continue to play a leading role in promoting regional peace, unity, and environmental sustainability, both within and beyond the Bay of Bengal region.

She offered several suggestions to strengthen BIMSTEC as a dynamic regional organization, including enhancing regional cooperation, political will, and a sense of unity. Dr. Rana proposed the operationalization of the ‘BIMSTEC Free Trade Area,’ implementation of the ‘IPG Report,’ and identification of projects for ‘Transport Connectivity’ through a ‘Master Plan’ as key areas of focus.

She also emphasized the need for cooperation in various sectors, such as the efficient use of available resources, facilitation of trade and transport, energy cooperation, investment promotion, technology transfer, and the development of integrated digital public infrastructure.

Additionally, Dr. Rana highlighted the importance of educational collaboration among regional institutions, advocating for increased public awareness about maternal and child health, mental health, communicable diseases, and the capacity to fight climate-induced illnesses.

She stressed the necessity of empowering women and ensuring their full participation in governance, development, and conflict management to build a prosperous future.

Finally, she called for increased cultural and tourism exchanges, poverty alleviation, climate change mitigation, and deeper cooperation with development partners and international organizations.

The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of BIMSTEC member states.