Foreign Secretary Paudyal called for meaningful regional cooperation to deal with the defining challenges of our time such as, climate change, energy crisis, food insecurity, and the large-scale pandemics.

While addressing the Meeting, he Recalled the fourth BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu in 2018, which aptly prioritized institution building of BIMSTEC. Foreign Secretary Paudyal underlined the need for conscious, credible, and concerted actions to achieve more resilient, prosperous, and sustainable Bay of Bengal region.

The 19thMinisterial Meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was held virtually in Bangkok, Thailand today. Nepali delegation to the Meeting was led by Foreign Secretary Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal.

Foreign Secretary also updated on the progress achieved in the Sector of 'People-to-People Contact' that is being led by Nepal. He also informed the meeting on the efforts made towards creating platforms for people-to-people engagements in BIMSTEC region, such as the Parliamentarians and Speakers forum, and separate forums of entrepreneurs, universities, and researchers, etc.

The Meeting endorsed several important instruments including the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation, Rules of Procedures for BIMSTEC Mechanisms, Terms of Reference for Eminent Persons' Group, Inclusion of Blue Economy, Mountain Economy and Poverty Alleviation under the purview of re-constituted sectors/sub-sectors of BIMSTEC Cooperation.

A Joint Statement was issued at the end of the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting.

The 24th Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC will be held in Thailand in November 2023 as a prelude to the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit.