FCCISL at BIMSTEC Business Forum in New Delhi

The seventh meeting of BIMSTEC Business forum was held at Hotel Shangri La, New Delhi on 21 July. BIMSTEC which stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation involves a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia. The countries are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. BIMSTEC Member countries have a combined population of 1.5 billion people – 21% of the world population, and a combined GDP of over $ 2.5 trillion.

The seventh meeting of BIMSTEC Business Forum was organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) in association with the Ministry of External Affairs in India and the BIMSTEC Secretariat, Dhaka. The inaugural session of the seventh meeting of the BIMSTEC Business Forum (BBF) was held under the title ‘20 Years to BIMSTEC: Charting Roadmap for future’. 

Ministry of External Affairs in India Secretary (East) Preeti Saran, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Md. Shahriar Alam, BIMSTEC Secretary General Sumith Nakandala and other distinguished invitees participated for this business forum.

Speaking at the inaugural session Preeti Saran mentioned that BIMSTEC is at the crossroads of SAARC and ASEAN, which provides a natural convergence of the countries around the Bay of Bengal with strong historical and cultural linkages. Saran underscored the necessity to focus on sustainable development, modernisation of fishing industry, improving financial cooperation and integration, tourism, better transport linkages by land, water and air among BIMSTEC member countries.

The delegations from the Founder Members of the BIMSTEC Business Forum (BBF) namely, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM), Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) participated in the meeting. In addition, the delegations from the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) participated in the meeting as Associate Members of the BBF.

FCCISL Assistant Manager Eranda Roshan Fernando represented Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka. FCCISL is the apex body of chambers and Business associations in Sri Lanka. At the forum, he explained FCCISL initiatives on climate change, disaster risk reduction, SME development, entrepreneurship development, capacity building and policy advocacy etc. Further, he pointed out the importance of promoting trade and investment among member countries by reducing non tariff barriers.