Bangladesh proposes Bimstec emergency relief fund, cross border digital payment system

Black_cats · Jul 18, 2023

Bangladesh proposes Bimstec emergency relief fund, cross border digital payment system

Bangladesh expressed interest to host the second foreign ministers’ retreat

Collected
Tribune Report
Published: July 17, 2023 1:40 PM | Last updated: July 17, 2023 1:57 PM

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday put forward the proposal of creating an emergency relief fund that may address the contingencies resulting from public health pandemic, natural disasters and humanitarian crisis among the Bimstec member states.

At the first-ever foreign ministers' retreat in Bangkok, he also flagged that Bimstec may create institutions similar to Asean Humanitarian Assistance Centre (AHA), the foreign ministry said.

For post pandemic economic recovery, Dr Momen also stressed on the introduction of a cross border digital payment system, early conclusion of Bimstec Free Trade Agreement, sharing best practices in nursing and tourism and recognition of university degrees.

Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand are the members of the Bimstec that connects South and Southeast Asia for multi sectoral technical and economic cooperation.

In the retreat, the foreign ministry said, all the foreign ministers had an in-depth discussion on strengthening Bimstec mechanism as well as exchanged views on regional and global issues of common concern.

While discussing Bimstec related issues, they focused on defining the concept of external partners, establishing the Eminent Persons' Group and holding a Bimstec foreign ministerial retreat on a regular basis.

Dr Momen recalled with great pleasure that the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is one of the founding leaders who contributed in establishing Bimstec in 1996.

Dhaka hosts the Bimstec secretariat.

The foreign ministry said Bangladesh supports the concept of external partnership, the establishment of Eminent Persons' group and hosting of Bimstec foreign ministers' retreat.

Bangladesh expressed interest to host the second foreign ministers' retreat.

The ministers also agreed to hold a special foreign ministers' retreat every year on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York.

The foreign minister also highlighted the importance of raising a common voice from Bimstec countries in combating the adverse impact of climate change in global climate change negotiations.

He underscored the need of maintaining peace and stability in the Bimstec region for sustainability of growth and development.

In this context, he called upon the Bimstec members for creating an enabling environment that would lead to the repatriation of internally displaced Myanmar nationals currently sheltered in Bangladesh.

He drew the attention of the members in taking a shared position against cross border terrorism, wiping out the menace of drug and human trafficking.

He shared views on mechanisms for energy security, food security, cyber security in the Bimstec region.

The Bimstec foreign ministers jointly called on Thai premier Prayut Chan-o-Cha at the government House in Bangkok.

On the sideline of the Retreat, Dr Momen had bilateral meetings with his counterparts from India, Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, the foreign ministry said.