BIMSTEC Secretary-General calls on Foreign Affairs Ministrer Dr Khadka

Kathmandu: Secretary-General of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Tenzin Lekphell called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Narayan Khadka at the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday.

Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, the Foregn Affairs Ministry informed that the BIMSTEC Secretary-General appreciated Nepal’s contributions in advancing the BIMSTEC process.

On the occasion, Foreign Affairs Minister Khadka commended the Secretary-General for his leadership and expressed Nepal’s commitment to contribute constructively to help BIMSTEC make further advances. 

He underlined the need to ensure that the Fifth Summit to be held in 2022 builds on the progress made thus far and provides important breakthroughs towards realizing the regional aspirations.

Both sides assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies and societies in the region and stressed the imperative to work in closer cooperation through BIMSTEC framework.

Earlier on Tuesday Lekphell paid courtesy calls on Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal and Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale.

Matters such as trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people contact as well as broader issues of Nepal-BIMSTEC cooperation were discussed in these meetings.

The Secretary-General is scheduled to call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba tomorrow.