BIMSTEC senior officials' meeting kicks off in Nepal

KATHMANDU: The 18th session of the BIMSTEC Senior Officials' Meeting kicked off here Thursday. 

The two-day meeting will set the agenda for the 15th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting scheduled for August 11, according to a report by www.myrepublica.com. 

Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shanker Das Bairagi is leading Nepali delegation to the meeting. 

Likewise, Indian team is led by Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, Preeti Saran, Bhutanese team by Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sonam Tshong and Bangladeshi team by Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Shahidul Haque. 

Similarly, Director General of the International Organisation and Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, U Kyaw Moe Tun is representing Myanmar while Sri Lankan team is led by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Grace Aasirwathan and Thai team by Deputy Director General of the Department of International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Eksiri Pintaruchi. 

Established 30 years ago, countries like Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand are members. Its Secretariat is based in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. 

The meeting will deliberate on 14 different themes identified by BIMSTEC as trade, investment, transport and communication, energy, tourism, agriculture, counter-terrorism, poverty alleviation, public health, environment and natural disasters and climate change. -SAA