Dr RK Ranjan attends BIMSTEC ministerial meeting
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 12 2023:
Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh participated in the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting hosted by Chair Thailand virtually from Bangkok on March 9.During the meeting, in pursuance of the directions from the 2016 Leaders' Retreat, 4th BIMSTEC Summit and 5th BIMSTEC Summit, the ministers approved several documents.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting approved Rules of Procedure for Core BIMSTEC Mechanisms, Sectoral BIMSTEC Mechanisms and BIMSTEC's External Relations for submission to the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit.
The preparation was enabled by the contribution announced by the Prime Minister during the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Colombo towards institution building mechanisms.
Accordingly, BIMSTEC Secretariat was authorised to anchor several meetings that brought the BIMSTEC Rules of Procedure into fruition.
It further said that subsequent to the Prime Minister's announcement at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit of reviving the BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate, the 19th meeting approved the draft Host Country Agreement between India and the BIMSTEC Secretariat for establishing BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate in India.
"As per Leaders' direction during the 2016 Retreat, the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation among the BIMSTEC Member States initiated by India has been approved by the meeting for signature during the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit," the statement continued.
The meeting also approved the Terms of Reference for an Eminent Person's Group on the Future Directions of BIMSTEC which were finalised under the special scheme for institution building announced by the Prime Minister during the 5th Summit in Colombo.
Also during the meeting, the ministers approved the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 which would be launched at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.
They also approved Administrative and Disciplinary Rules of the Secretariat and amended Financial Rules and Regulations of the BIMSTEC Secretariat which will enable expenditure by the Secretariat throughout the financial year with an approved budget.