BIMSTEC summit in Kathmandu from Aug. 30

KATHMANDU, Aug. 23 (APD) -- The Fourth Summit meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will be held in Kathmandu on 30 and 31 August, 2018. Nepal has assumed the Chairmanship of BIMSTEC after its Third Summit meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar in March 2014, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All Member States of BIMSTEC have confirmed their participation in the Fourth Summit and the meetings preceding it, the ministry said. President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari will meet leaders of BIMSTEC Member States and host a luncheon in their honour on 30 August, the press release stated.

Likewise, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will chair the Summit, which will review progress achieved so far in the areas of cooperation and provide guidance to the future work of the organization. PM Oli will host a dinner with cultural programme in the same evening. The leaders will witness the signing ceremony of the legal instrument of BIMSTEC and consider the draft Kathmandu Declaration of the Summit on 31 August.

Prior to the Summit, the Nineteenth Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) and the Sixteenth Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC will be held on 28th and 29thAugust respectively, in Kathmandu.