Thailand Hosts the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting

     On March 9, 2023, Thailand, as the Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Cooperation in Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), hosted the 19th Ministerial Conference via a teleconferencing system.

     The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that BIMSTEC members need to work together more closely to make it a regional player with a shared vision and to be able to play a leading role in promoting the Bay of Bengal as a safe, secure, and stable region. Meanwhile, BIMSTEC can play a role and contribute to global issues, such as human development, green development, issues of food and energy security, and climate change.

     The meeting approved the draft Bangkok Vision 2030, which is a leadership document presented by Thailand to guide BIMSTEC cooperation toward a prosperous, sustainable, resilient, and open region by 2030. The document also aims to promote BIMSTEC as a region of peace, stability, and economic sustainability with visionary goals in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Thai Bio-Circular-Green economic model as well.

     The meeting approved the outcome documents: the Bangkok Vision 2030, the Rules of Procedure for BIMSTEC Mechanisms, and the Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation. These documents will be the basis for discussion at the sixth BIMSTEC Leaders' Meeting.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
https://www.mfa.go.th/th/content/bimstec-mm-2023?page=5d5bd3c915e39c306002a904&menu=5d5bd3c915e39c306002a905