BSS, Nay Pyi Taw :
The third BIMSTEC Summit ended on Tuesday with a firm resolve to make continued efforts in accomplishing the founding aims and purposes of the regional forum.
A declaration issued after the summit decided to implement the BIMSTEC Poverty Plan of Action adopted at the second BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Poverty Alleviation in 2012.
The next summit of the seven-nation forum of South and South East Asia will be held in Nepal, while Sri Lanka will host the third Ministerial Meeting on Poverty Alleviation in the first half of 2014.
The summit agreed to explore collaborative initiatives towards addressing the adverse impacts of climate change and enhance cooperation in environmental protection and sustainable development and promote capacity building in the area of disaster management.
Presidents of Myanmar and Sri Lanka, Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and special envoy of the Prime Minister of Thailand led their respective countries’ delegations at the Summit.
While the BIMSTEC leaders decided to move forward towards finalization of the draft Agreement on Trade in Goods, they asked BIMSTEC Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) to expedite its work for the conclusion of the Agreement on Trade in Goods by the end of 2014.
The BIMSTEC leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in expanding skill and technology through collaborations and partnerships targeted towards micro, small and medium scale enterprises.
They also decided to accelerate efforts for the early finalization of the Memorandum of Association on the Establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility.
Underlining the need for enhancing regional cooperation in the energy sector, the Summit welcomed the continuing work on developing physical connectivity in BIMSTEC region.
The leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the health sector and expand efforts to further promote people-to-people exchanges and linkages at various levels including facilitating travels through the BIMSTEC Business Visa Scheme and BIMSTEC Visa Exemption Scheme.
