A five-member delegation led by the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin, participated in the 24th Session of the BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), chaired virtually by the Kingdom of Thailand on Thursday (19 December, 2024). The meeting deliberated on various issues, covering organizational, procedural, administrative and substantive matters. The meeting also took stock of the progress made in BIMSTEC’s core areas of cooperation since the last SOM meeting.
The meeting reviewed operational mechanisms and the decision-making framework for BIMSTEC; updates were provided on ongoing initiatives across various sectors, including trade, investment & development, connectivity, security, the environment & climate change, science, technology, and innovation. Delegates emphasized the need for collaborative action to address regional environmental challenges; discussions highlighted efforts to enhance regional connectivity for economic integration and people-to-people exchanges; and progress on institutional frameworks. The meeting also considered the financial framework and administrative priorities for BIMSTEC. The meeting agreed on the dates and venue for the next SOM and adopted the session’s report.
Foreign Secretary updated the meeting on various developments in the Trade and Investment Sector including the Blue Economy, for which Bangladesh is the Lead Country. The Foreign Secretary reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to finalizing the six constituent agreements under the BIMSTEC Free Trade Area (FTA) Framework Agreement. Emphasizing the importance of trade and investment in advancing the shared goal of BIMSTEC, particularly in enhancing the living standard of the people of the region, he called upon the Member States to expedite finalizing the necessary instruments for early implementation of the BIMSTEC FTA. In this context, he requested support and cooperation of all Member States.
In his closing statement, the Foreign Secretary expressed his deep appreciation to the Chair and the BIMSTEC Secretariat for their coordination role and leadership. He called for renewed commitment from Member States to achieve BIMSTEC’s shared vision of regional prosperity.
