Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the theme of the BIMSTEC Summit resonates deeply with Nepal's national aspiration of "Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali".
Addressing the Sixth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, which began on Friday at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, PM Oli emphasized that the three pillars of the BIMSTEC Summit—prosperity, resilience, and openness— not only align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, but also resonate deeply with Nepal’s national aspiration.
He stressed that BIMSTEC must not only navigate the changing tides but also seize the opportunity to reinvigorate regional cooperation.
“And I believe that, the theme of the Summit–Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC, provides us with that compass – a compass that is pro people, pro prosperity and pro welfare,” he added.
Noting that the Bay of Bengal region is among the least integrated globally, barring natural interconnections among societies, economies and nations in the region, PM Oli said that building an integrated Bay of Bengal region is a must to unlock the member states’ potential and capitalize on the complementarities they possess.
“Additionally, recognizing that not all economies in our region are equal, we must extend preferential support to member states with special needs to enable them to share common prosperity,” he said.
Highlighting the existential threat posed by climate change to all of humanity, PM Oli said that the stakes are even higher for Nepal.
“While these high mountains contribute as global heat sinks, they have also suffered a disproportionate assault despite our negligible emissions. Further, the impact is confined not only in mountains but also in the downstream lowlands and coastal areas,” he said.
PM Oli also said that Nepal is organizing the first edition of Sagarmatha Sambaad in May to highlight the plight of mountains and linkages between mountains and oceans.
The prime ministers (heads of delegations) of Thailand, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka also addressed the summit.
The BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Cooperation agreement was signed during the summit.
