BIMSTEC secretary general calls on foreign affairs state minister

BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey has met with Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaed Islam. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, July 7.

During the meeting, the secretary general briefed the state minister on ongoing activities and key progress under the BIMSTEC framework. He appreciated Bangladesh's leadership and constructive contributions to advancing the BIMSTEC agenda. He also emphasised the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to ensure shared prosperity, resilience and sustainable development across the Bay of Bengal region.

State Minister Shama Obaed Islam reaffirmed Bangladesh's continued commitment to the BIMSTEC process. She also conveyed the government's commitment to advancing regional cooperation during Bangladesh's chairmanship of BIMSTEC. Highlighting the government's foreign policy priority 'Bangladesh First', she said cooperation must be increased in priority sectors such as trade and investment, connectivity, energy, climate change and people-to-people contact to deliver tangible benefits to the people of the region.

The state minister also said Bangladesh is ready to convene sectoral meetings at mutually convenient times to facilitate timely implementation of decisions and priorities as the chair of BIMSTEC.

Both sides also exchanged views on possible initiatives during Bangladesh's chairmanship to further advance the BIMSTEC agenda and transform the shared vision of a prosperous, vibrant and open BIMSTEC into concrete outcomes for the people of the region.