KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ affirmed Nepal’s full commitment to working for the collective well-being of the peoples of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region.

In a message delivered on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of BIMSTEC’s inception, Prime Minister Dahal expressed Nepal’s unwavering commitment to the objectives and principles enshrined in the BIMSTEC Charter.

Extending best wishes to the governments and people of the member nations on behalf of the Nepal government and himself, he stated that regional cooperation stands as a mainstay of stability, economic prosperity, and solidarity in today’s complex, dynamic, and interconnected world.

The Prime Minister noted that BIMSTEC was established as an intergovernmental forum comprising friendly countries of South Asia and Southeast Asia to realize the shared aspirations of their peoples for a well-integrated, peaceful, and prosperous region through strengthened regional cooperation and partnerships.

He added that while the forum has made some landmark achievements, much remains to be done to translate the spirit of its Charter into concrete reality.

“BIMSTEC as a region holds immense potential and opportunities for uplifting millions of people out of poverty, establishing missing links in connectivity, expanding energy cooperation, enhancing trade, investment, and tourism, progressing towards Sustainable Development Goals, and leaving no one behind,” the message reads.

By leveraging its diverse strengths and complementarities, BIMSTEC has continued to make strides in institution-building, forging synergies for mutual benefits, and deepening collaboration in agreed areas of cooperation, the Prime Minister stated.

He further said that Nepal, as a lead country in the people-to-people contact sector, remains steadfast in working closely with all member states in a spirit of unity and friendship to form meaningful partnerships that unlock regional potential for shared prosperity.

The peace, prosperity, and collective well-being of the peoples of the region hinge on the success of BIMSTEC, he noted, emphasizing the urgency of building broader political commitments and consensus for enhanced collaboration and achieving people-centered development.

He also highlighted that the coming into force of the BIMSTEC Charter since last May has provided added momentum to this end.

BIMSTEC aims to support the rapid economic development of member nations by implementing assistance projects in trade, investment, industry, technology, human resources, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, and connectivity expansion.

BIMSTEC was established on June 6, 1997, with the objective of jointly achieving economic growth and social prosperity for the member nations by embracing the spirit of equality and cooperation.