Sri Lanka expresses keenness to host in-person BIMSTEC Summit next year

Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris held discussions with Secretary General Tenzin Lekphell of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) on the sidelines of the 21st IORA Council of Ministers Meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh this week.

Minister Peiris reiterated that Sri Lanka as the Chair focused on institution building during its Chairmanship and was successful in finalising the BIMSTEC Charter and the allocation of defined areas of cooperation among Member States in order to add focus to future activities of BIMSTEC. 

He added that Sri Lanka was keen to hold the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in person in Colombo early next year and the date for the meeting would be communicated in consultation with Member States given the successful vaccination program carried out in Sri Lanka to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Secretary General thanked the Minister for extending an invitation to visit Sri Lanka from 5 to 9 December 2021 where he plans to meet with high dignitaries and line agencies to discuss lead sectors coming under the purview of Sri Lanka; Science and Technology and Innovation with sub sectors of Health and Human Resource Development.  Minister Peiris stated that the Foreign Ministry officials had met some of the line agencies and were in the process of formulating action plans for the sectors that would benefit the region.

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Bangladesh Prof. S.D.S. Seneviratne, Acting Director General Economic Affairs (Multilateral) Anzul Jhan from the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry and Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Ruwanthi Delpitiya attended the meeting along with the Foreign Minister.