Myanmar junta attends BIMSTEC meeting chaired by Sri Lanka

The Myanmar junta today attended a Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical? and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) meeting chaired by Sri Lanka.

The 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting was held today with the participation of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This event was held virtually in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Union Minister, Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar, U Ko Ko Hlaing attended the virtual meeting.

Myanmar has been rocked by protests since the army overthrew Suu Kyi?s elected government on February 1 citing unsubstantiated claims of fraud in a November election that her party won.

On Thursday, protesters again took to the streets of cities across Myanmar, defying a security force clampdown that has killed at least 535 people.

At the BIMSTEC meeting, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena called for the early conclusion of the Charter of the Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and Parliamentarians.

The Foreign Minister informed that the platform would provide Speakers and Parliamentarians space for greater understanding, trust and friendship and to exchange ideas and information on parliamentary practices and commitment on democratic principles.

The? Foreign Minister? was? elected? as? Chair? of? the? meeting? and?? State Minister? for Regional Cooperation Tharaka? Balasuriya? led the? Sri? Lanka? delegation at the meeting.

On 31st March 2021, Foreign Secretary Admiral Professor Jayanath Colombage?? led the Sri Lanka delegation at the Special Senior Officials meeting which preceded the Ministerial Meeting.

The Foreign Minister also emphasized the need to focus on expediting the adoption of the BIMSTEC Transport Connectivity Master Plan which was finalized by the Third Working Group and the Asian Development Bank.

The Minister stated transport connectivity which include coastal shipping, waterways, ports and harbours used over centuries and today road connections and air cargo capable of withstanding future disruptions, is vital for the supply chains, people to people contact and development of the region.

The Foreign Minister welcomed the newly appointed Secretary General Tenzin Lekphell from Bhutan, and wished him success in leading the BIMSTEC Secretariat and pledged Sri Lanka?s support to all his endeavors.

The BIMISTEC Ministers reviewed the progress made since the fourth BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu in 2018, where Sri Lanka was elected as Chair.

State Minister Balasuriya? said that? Sri Lanka fully focused its? energies? and? worked? closely? with Member States? to? finalize? the BIMSTEC Charter, building on the 1997 Bangkok Declaration.

This Charter defines the long term vision and priorities for cooperation, delineates roles and responsibilities of different layers of institutional structure and decision making processes.

In addition he stated that the Member States also prioritized and rationalized sectors and subsectors of the organization where Sri Lanka agreed to lead the sector on Science, Technology and Innovation with sub sectors Technology, Health and Human Resource Development. He stated that the relevant? line agencies in? Sri Lanka? are developing? a programme of action? for? the ?sector taking into? consideration also the gaps? exposed in the relevant areas? by the? pandemic.

He informed that the current pandemic has amply demonstrated the importance of technology. In? this? connection Sri Lanka? is also? getting ready to? host the Technology Transfer? Facility? in Sri Lanka upon conclusion? of the? Memorandum of Association? at the? 5th BIMSTEC Summit.

The Ministers? noted? with appreciation? the extensive? measures? taken by? member States ?of? BIMSTEC? in responding? and? supporting? Member States? to face challenges? posed? by the COVID 19 pandemic and?? urged? member states to mobilize? all relevant ?sectors and sub sectors to take? collective? measures? to combat? the? challenges? of poverty, natural? disasters,? climate? change, pandemics and? other public? health? emergencies, terrorism and transnational? crimes, and food? and energy? security? through? partnerships and? joint actions.

While noting with appreciation the extensive measures taken by Member States of? BIMSTEC, State Minister further noted that the COVID-19 has devastated economies of member states in various degrees and the BIMSTEC region no longer enjoys US$3 trillion economy, which accounts for 4 per cent of the global GDP and 3.7 per cent of the global trade.

Therefore, he urged Member States to continue to share experiences, including success, challenges and lessons learnt in building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic through inclusive, resilient sustainable recovery strategies and investments.

The Sri Lanka? Delegation informed? the meeting that the date? to? host?? the 5^th? BIMSTEC Summit? will be? informed?? after? consultations? with?? Member States?? through the BIMSTEC Secretariat in the? coming? months.

The Member States delegations were led by Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dr. Tandi Dorji, Foreign Minister of Bhutan, Dr. S.Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, U Ko Ko Hlaing, Union Minister, Ministry of International Cooperation Myanmar, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Minister for Foreign Affairs Nepal, Tharaka Balasuriya, State Minister of Regional Cooperation of Sri Lanka and Don Paramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. (Colombo Gazette)