Bangkok, April 3:
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Harini Amarasuriya had a meeting here today. PM Oli is currently in Thailand in connection with participating in the Sixth Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
During the meeting, the two Prime Ministers discussed various matters of bilateral and mutual interests.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, the Prime Minister’s Chief Political Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal and Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, among other officials were present in the meeting.
Following the conclusion of his programmes scheduled as part of the official visit to Thailand, PM Oli is busy in sideline meetings and other meetings with the Heads of State and Heads of Governments of BIMSTEC member nations who have arrived here to attend the regional group’s Summit.
PM Oli addresses AIT event, stressing on collective efforts for secured, prosperous future
Bangkok, April 3: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is presently on the five-day official visit to Thailand starting April 1, addressed an event hosted by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) here today.
In his address, the Prime Minister echoed the need for collective efforts to ensure a secure and prosperous future for the entire humanity. He highlighted that the Government of Nepal is focused on promoting human happiness, prosperity, security, and self-dignity.
Talking about the motto of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali” implemented by the government as the national aspirations, the Prime Minister said there is no greater achievement than the human happiness with the fulfillment of their aspirations.
He also called for collaborative efforts at the national, regional, and global levels to address the climate change, the common and global concern for all.
The event was also attended by teachers and students at AIT from Nepal. The Prime Minister expressed his hope that AIT graduates would significantly contribute to Nepal’s development, particularly in sectors like hydropower.
Nepal’s ambassador to Thailand, Dhan Bahadur Oli said Nepali make up the fourth largest group among the students in the AIT from abroad. As he said, the cooperation with the AIT is the priority of the Embassy.
Presently, 181 Nepali students are pursuing studies in the AIT while so far, 1795 Nepali have been graduated from here.
Seven Nepali including three members on the Board of Trustee serve as the faculty members here.
The Prime Minister was received by the Institute President Pai-Chi Li on the occasion.
The Prime Minister arrived here for the official visit as being the first head of the government from Nepal to visit Thailand as the cordial invitation of his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra. He is scheduled to attend the sixth Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) today itself. He will observe bilateral engagements with the head of the states and the head of the governments from the member states on the sidelines of the Summit.
His entourage includes his spouse Radhika Shakya, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, Chief Advisor to Prime Minister, Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Economic and Development Advisor Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada, Government Chief Secretary Eaknarayan Aryal and Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, among others.
BIMSTEC should uphold spirit of regional unity and collective cooperation: Minister Dr Rana
Kathmandu, April 3: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has stressed the need for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to uphold the spirit of regional unity and collective cooperation.
Addressing the 20th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting held today as part of the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok , she called for unity and collective cooperation to strengthen BIMSTEC as a platform that represents the shared aspirations of the citizens of the Bay of Bengal region.
“BIMSTEC symbolises a dazzling rainbow representing two dynamic regions of South Asia and Southeast Asia- each of its seven colours illuminating rich civilizations, cultures, histories, and ecological diversity. It should make efforts to unlock the potential for economic prosperity of the citizens of this region,” the Minister said.
Dr Rana reiterated Nepal’s commitment to regionalism and multilateralism in a peaceful, equitable, and inclusive manner under the leadership of the United Nations. “We are actively engaged in all regional and global forums to strengthen peace, security, and sustainable development. We are also proud to be the largest peacekeeping troop contributor to the United Nations.”
She also reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to the charter, principles and objectives of BIMSTEC since becoming member in 2004. Highlighting challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, environmental degradation and the devastating effects of pollution, she urged immediate efforts for infrastructure enhancement, disaster early warning systems implementation and involvement of local communities in environmental protection.
She welcomed India’s proposal to initiate establishing BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management, expressing confidence that it would complement regional efforts in controlling and combating natural disasters while leveraging AI to address all these challenges.
Dr Rana further highlighted BIMSTEC’s leading role in promoting regional peace, unity and environmental sustainability in the Bay of Bengal region and beyond. Calling for transformation into a strong partnership platform and a strong regional organisation, she underscored the need for cooperation, regional unity and political will to align BIMSTEC with current global trends.
Similarly, she suggested many key initiatives, like expediting the establishment of BIMSTEC Free Trade Area, implementing EPG Report and projects identified in BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, advancing BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection, and fully operationalising regional centres and entities.
Additionally, she called for focusing on leveraging synergies and complementarities among Member States through collaborative strategies for resource utilization, workforce mobilisation, policy alignment, trade and transit facilitation, energy cooperation, investment promotion, technology transfer, regional infrastructure development and integrated Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for e-governance services.
Dr Rana also suggested cooperation between educational institutions in the region, public awareness and treatment of maternal and child, and mental health issue, and capacity building to combat diseases caused by climate-related complications.
Prioritising gender equality and women’s empowerment, she urged member states to share successful strategies for mainstreaming women in governance, development and conflict management to address historical injustice and deliver on promises of a better world. Dr Rana called for collaboration among development partners, and regional and international organisations to promote culture and tourism, alleviate poverty, and seek solutions to climate-related complications through people-to-people ties.
The meeting was participated by foreign ministers of BIMSTEC member states.
