Himal Press 
Pushpa Kamal Dahal (File Photo)
KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has reiterated Nepal’s full commitment to work for the collective well-being of the peoples of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region.
In his message delivered on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the inception of the BIMSTEC on Friday, Dahal expressed Nepal’s unwavering commitment to the objectives and principles enshrined in the BIMSTEC Charter. Extending best wishes to the governments and the people of the member nations on behalf of the Nepal government and on his own, Dahal said regional cooperation stood as a mainstay of stability, economic prosperity and solidarity in today’s complex, dynamic and interconnected world.
“The BIMSTEC was established in as an intergovernmental forum comprising friendly countries of South Asian and South East Asia to realize the shared aspirations of our peoples for a well-integrated, peaceful and prosperous region through strengthened regional cooperation and partnerships,” Dahal said in his message, adding that the forum has made some landmark achievements and much remained to be done to translate the spirit of its Charter into a concrete reality. “BIMSTEC as a region holds immense potential and opportunities in uplifting millions of people out of poverty, establishing missing links in connectivity; expanding energy cooperation; enhancing trade, investment and tourism; keeping the progress of Sustainable Development Goals and leaving no one behind.”
He further said that Nepal as a lead country in the people-to-people contact sector remained steadfast to further work closely with all the member-states in a spirit of unity and friendship for meaningful partnerships to unlock regional potential for shared prosperity. The peace, prosperity and collective well-being of the peoples of the region hinges on the success stories of BIMSTEC, he noted, highlighting the urgency of building broader political commitments and consensus for enhanced collaborations and achieving people-centered development.
He further noted that the coming into force of BIMSTEC Charter since last May has provided added momentum to this end.
BIMSTEC was established on June 6, 1997 with the objective of jointly achieving economic growth and social prosperity of the member nations by embracing the spirit of equality and cooperation.
