Thailand has chaired the 6th Meeting of BIMSTEC Permanent Working Committee (BPWC) to discuss the cooperation mechanism of the regional organization.
Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, chaired the 6th BPWC meeting to discuss major cooperation mechanisms of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). The meeting took place in Bangkok on February 1-2.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the meeting successfully concluded four key documents, which included Rules of Procedure for Core BIMSTEC Mechanisms, BIMSTEC Sectoral Mechanisms, BIMSTEC’s External Relations, and Draft Terms of Reference for Eminent Persons’ Group on the Future Directions of BIMSTEC.
The ministry said these documents will guide the future direction for BIMSTEC while also setting the mechanism’s standard operating procedures, resulting in a more streamlined and consistent organizational structure. Additionally, the meeting discussed the importance of ensuring that BIMSTEC stays relevant, especially in the current context of the post-pandemic economic recovery.
Since assuming the BIMSTEC chairmanship in March 2022, Thailand has already hosted two rounds of BIMSTEC Permanent Working Committee meetings, producing many significant outcome documents that will be submitted to the 23rd Senior Officials’ Meeting and 19th Ministerial Meeting in March 2023. All members and the secretariat thanked Thailand for hosting the meetings and fostering a spirit of cooperation within BIMSTEC.
Thailand currently chairs the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). It constitutes seven members, which include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. (NNT)
