Fourth International Diabetes Summit 2020 inaugurated at JW Marriot Hotel Pune. Fifth summit of BIMSTEC uncertain amid COVID-19 pandemic. There will be a lot to discuss regarding the economy and health than other areas of cooperation. Earlier, the fifth BIMSTEC Summit and the Seventeenth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting scheduled for September 3-4, 2020, in Colombo were postponed due to the … The 21st session of Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) took stock of progress made in various areas of cooperation under BIMSTEC, endorsed the appointment of next secretary general, finalised the draft of the BIMSTEC charter and the draft of the Memorandum of Association on the Establishment of BIMSTEC Centers/Entities, among others, according to a foreign ministry statement. The fate and the form of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation ( BIMSTEC) biennial summit in Sri Lanka is uncertain amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Summit, initially, was proposed for later this month, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was postponed. This was informed by BIMSTEC Secretary General Mohammad Shahidu Islam during his meeting with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last evening. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Confusion reigns as officialdom keeps changing entry protocols for tourists as peak season begins, Four people arrested for possessing 2.5 kg of what police say is radioactive material, No dissemination of pictures of others on Everest without permission, Supreme Court awards Nepal Communist Party to Rishiram Kattel, India introduces procedure that will allow Nepal to export power to it, Endless wait for Korea jobs frustrates youths as they question Nepal’s commitment, Oli tightens his grip in UML relieving leaders from Nepal camp of their roles, Rebuttal to international rights concerns draws flak, As Deuba gets nod to lead government, efforts on to build coalition to oust Oli, Potato farmers all smiles because of steady prices and strong demand. The Sri Lanka delegation indicated its readiness to host the 5th BIMSTEC Summit preceded by the 17th Ministerial meeting, as it has earned the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council in recognition of the comprehensive health and safety measures the government has put in place. It was scheduled to take place in January 2021. The Indian delegation at the virtual meeting of the grouping was headed by secretary (east) in the ministry of external affairs Vijay Thakur Singh. Member states agreed on Sri Lanka’s proposal to host the Summit and the ministerial level meeting next year, whose date will be confirmed later, Bairagi said. Earlier, the fifth BIMSTEC Summit and the 17th BIMSTEC ministerial meeting scheduled for September 3 and 4 in Colombo were postponed due to … The Summit … The 5th edition of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit 2020 to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the month of September 2020. The 5th BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Sri Lanka. Amid Saarc’s apparent failure, regional grouping Bimstec is getting a big boost. “A dedicated charter is a must for strengthening the regional body but BIMSTEC has failed to come up with an agreed text in the last 23 years.”, “If India wants to revive its good ties with its neighbours, there is no alternative to reviving SAARC.”. Amid uncertainty regarding the summit, there have also been proposals to host the fifth summit virtually between September 10-15. The fate and the form of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation ( BIMSTEC) biennial summit in Sri Lanka is uncertain amid the Covid-19 pandemic. September 04, 2020; 5th Bimstec summit will be held in Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021. During the meeting, Sri Lanka expressed readiness to host the 5th BIMSTEC Summit as well as the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in early January 2021. In the absence of a dedicated charter, BIMSTEC is running with the spirit of the Bangkok Declaration of 1997 and the charter is now in the final stage, which is expected to come out from the Colombo Summit. During the meeting, the senior officials proposed that the 5th BIMSTEC Summit preceded by the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021 subject to the improved Covid-19 situation. The Summit due to be held later this month was postponed in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. “To attract FDI and access export markets, Nepal can benefit from BIMSTEC to connect with Myanmar, Thailand and other ASEAN economies,”. Sri Lanka, the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), has proposed to host the fifth summit of the regional grouping in the first half of January 2021, subject to the improved Covid-19 situation. Similarly, member states have also agreed to sign an agreement on Bimstec Technology Transfer Facilities, Cooperation among Diplomatic Training Academies and persons, building templates on BIMSTEC centers, entities and mechanism and finalisation of BIMSTEC Transport Connectivity Master Plan during the Colombo Summit. After India’s decision to pull out from the summit, other member states supported India's position and as a result the summit has been postponed indefinitely. Confusion reigns as officialdom keeps changing entry protocols for tourists as peak season begins, Four people arrested for possessing 2.5 kg of what police say is radioactive material, No dissemination of pictures of others on Everest without permission, Supreme Court awards Nepal Communist Party to Rishiram Kattel, India introduces procedure that will allow Nepal to export power to it, Endless wait for Korea jobs frustrates youths as they question Nepal’s commitment, Oli tightens his grip in UML relieving leaders from Nepal camp of their roles, Rebuttal to international rights concerns draws flak, As Deuba gets nod to lead government, efforts on to build coalition to oust Oli, Potato farmers all smiles because of steady prices and strong demand. But BIMSTEC has been struggling to make much headway as five of its members—Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka—belong to SAARC while Thailand and Myanmar are part of the Association of South-East Asian Nations. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane to accept the BIMSTEC convention at the fifth summit of the BIMSTEC scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka next year. UNB, Dhaka The 5th BIMSTEC Summit, preceded by the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting, is proposed to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021 -- … The regional body needs a new charter to make itself more relevant and so far it has been guided largely by the Bangkok Declaration of 1997. “It neither has a relevant charter nor vision documents,” said Pradhumna Shah, a former ambassador. (I)-06, Road No-53, Gulshan-02, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh Email:[email protected] Tele : +880-2222290096-98 At Colombo, Sri Lanka. Initially, the 5th BIMSTEC Summit was proposed to be held in early September 2020 and got postponed due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Initially, the 5 th BIMSTEC Summit was proposed to be held in early September 2020 and got postponed due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Pakistan was scheduled to host the 19th summit in November 2016 but, after an attack on Indian Army base in Jammu and Kashmir, India decided to withdraw from the summit accusing a cross-border terrorist outfit of carrying out the attack. With the postponement of the summit in Pakistan, Nepal has become the longest serving chair of SAARC in its history. The current Secretary General of BIMSTEC is Ambassador Mohammad Shahidul Islam of Bangladesh, who will be replaced by Tenzin Lekphell, a distinguished bureaucrat-turned politician from Bhutan from April next year. More than two dozen BIMSTEC meetings between the seven member nations Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand planned for 2020 could not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Some Indian experts say BIMSTEC is needed to bridge the gap between South Asia and South-East Asia”, he said. “We should reinvigorate SAARC,” said Shah, who had earlier worked as director of the SAARC Secretariat and used to look after SAARC and Bimstec while serving at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Constantino Xavier, a fellow at Brookings India, a New Delhi based think tank is of a different view. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. About BIMSTEC. More than two dozen BIMSTEC meetings between the seven member nations Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand planned for 2020 could not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Member states will discuss later on the proposal and finalise the date and other agendas like holding the ministerial level meeting in Colombo ahead of the Summit, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, told the Post after the meeting. The proposal was made during the 21st Session of Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) on Wednesday. Sri Lanka is the Chair of BIMSTEC and is expected to host the 5th Summit in the latter part of 2020. In the year 2020 as Sri Lanka gears up to host the 5th BIMSTEC Summit, the world will move into the second phase of COVID-19. But SAARC is facing its own existential crisis because of the long-standing rivalry between India and Pakistan. The BIMSTEC meeting led by foreign secretaries of the seven member member nations on Wednesday could finalise the form and dates for the virtual summit. The 5th BIMSTEC Summit that was scheduled to take place in December 2020 has been cancelled. 12th GRIHA Summit 2020: GRIHA Council, Hyderabad in partnership with TERI (The Energy and Resource Institute) Virtual meeting: To discuss innovative technologies and solutions which will help to build a robust mechanism to develop sustainable and resilient solutions for the benefit of the Indian society. The 5th BIMSTEC Summit to be held in Colombo in 2021 December 16, 2020 December 16, 2020 Colombo Times 0 Comments COLOMBO The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane to accept the BIMSTEC convention at the fifth summit of the BIMSTEC scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka next year. The 5th edition of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit 2020 to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the month of September 2020. List of Important Summits A summit meeting (or just summit) is an international meeting of heads of state or government, usually with considerable media exposure, tight security, and a prearranged agenda. But Shah, the former ambassador, has another take. “Unlike SAARC, which has remained stalled because of Pakistani obstructionism and Indian hesitations, BIMSTEC is driven by like-minded states that share a vision for regional connectivity and stronger economic links with the Bay of Bengal and ASEAN regions,” Xavier said. “While BIMSTEC needs to go a long way because it has just a body and lacks life, funding, regional sentiments and projects, among others, SAARC, on the other hand, has some funds being channelled through the SAARC Development Fund that has several big and small projects going.”. The 5 th BIMSTEC Summit preceded by the 17 th BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting is proposed to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021 subject to the improved COVID situation. The Sri Lanka delegation indicated its readiness to host the 5th BIMSTEC Summit preceded by the 17th Ministerial meeting, as it has earned the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council in recognition of the comprehensive health … Post rationalization of the different sectors of cooperation, it was decided that Sri Lanka will lead the country for Science, Technology and Innovation. Oli handed over the Chairmanship of the seven-member grouping to Sirisena at the end of the 4th BIMSTEC Summit here. Sri Lanka will lead the science, technology and innovation sector in the BIMSTEC and a facility for technology transfer is planned to be opened in the future. Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar are the member states of BIMSTEC that is often touted as a parallel of another regional organization–South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation or SAARC. The 21st SOM and the 4th BPWC were held in preparation for the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit and the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting to be hosted by Sri Lanka as the Chair. 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Jan Gautam Lahiri 6 September, 2020 12:00 AM New Delhi: The 5th BIMSTEC summit will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021 subject to improvement in COVID-19 situation. “The meeting is also expected to give the final touches to the BIMSTEC charter which will be adopted at the summit,” said Shanker Das Bairagi, the foreign secretary, who is leading the Nepali delegation of the 21st senior officials. After the Summit in Sri Lanka, the chairmanship of the regional bloc will be handed over to Thailand for the period of 2021-22. It has not been able to hold its 19th summit since Nepal hosted the 18th one in 2014. Despite the flurry of meetings, experts are divided over the evolution, development and future of the region body due to its sluggish progress. The South Asia Economic focus had estimated that regional growth in South Asia will fall between 1.8 to 2.8 % in 2020. BIMSTEC is a regional organisation comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. “Bhutan has always been supportive of regional groupings like BIMSTEC as it is an opportunity to improve connectivity and trade and also look towards the Bay of Bengal and South East Asia,” Tenzing Lamsang, editor of The Bhutanese, a Thimphu-based newspaper, who follows regional geo-politics said. Holding a summit even if virtually in 2020 would reflect on the commitment to strengthen the organisation among all seven member states, Xavier said. It is yet to agree on setting up various mechanisms while its secretariat has already been set up in Bangladesh. “Smaller states like Nepal always have more to gain from strong regional institutions, which both China and India are sometimes reluctant about,” he said. The summit will be preceded by the 17th Ministerial Meeting and 21st Senior Officials Meeting by the end of 2020. Officials said that besides finalizing the charter, the meeting of senior officials also recommended signing of the Convention on Cooperation on Criminal and Legal Matters among the member states during the Summit. Update- September 03, 2020, 02:32 AM The 5th BIMSTEC Summit, preceded by the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting, is proposed to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021 subject to the improved COVID situation. Up to the fourth summit held in Nepal in 2018, BIMSTEC has been working on a Bangkok Declaration adopted in Bangkok in 1997. Hence, Sri Lanka will be conducting the fifth summit of the BIMSTEC and has become the new chair of the BIMSTEC. Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, hosts the BIMSTEC Secretariat. They Member States expect that it will soon start yielding results to fulfill the aspirations of the people of this region. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. The foreign secretary level meeting also approved the nomination of new secretary general from Bhutan. 5th Global Technology Summit 2020 These meetings would have discussed the 14 areas of cooperation between the members. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising of seven member states in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Initially, the summit was proposed to be held in early September 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic. The 5th Bimstec summit, preceded by the 17th Bimstec ministerial meeting, is proposed to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the first half of January 2021, subject to the improved Covid-19 situation. The Twentieth Session of the BIMSTEC Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 03 March 2020. BIMSTEC Summit 2020. The summit scheduled for September was expected to adopt a new charter. Sri Lanka, the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), has proposed to host the fifth summit of the regional grouping in the first half of January 2021, subject to the improved Covid-19 situation. posted on Sep. 06, 2020 at 5:18 pm September 6, 2020 Amidst ongoing border standoff and escalating tensions between India and China, it is confirmed that the 5 th BIMSTEC summit will be held in January 2021. Initially, the 5th BIMSTEC Summit was proposed to be held early this month and got postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Meeting reviewed the progress made on various directives of the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018 and also deliberated on some important institutional and sectoral issues with a focus on the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit. Here we give the full list of Important Summits in India. The 5th summit was initially proposed to be held in September 2020, but due to Covid-19 pandemic, it was postponed. The Summit proposed to be held in early September 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic. With the hosting of the Summit, the Chairmanship of BIMSTEC will be handed over to Thailand for the period of 2021-2022. ... Sep 01, 2020. The two-day fourth meeting of the BIMSTEC permanent working committee for the spade work for the 21st senior official meeting on Wednesday began on Monday. Sri Lanka, the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has proposed to host the fifth Summit of the regional grouping in the first half of January 2021. India has been pushing to make the regional body, formed in 1997, more relevant as an alternative to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Image. The meeting, which took place at the foreign secretary level of all seven member states, also finalised the much-awaited BIMSTEC charter, reviewed the progress made in the last two years after Kathmandu Summit and discussed issues of legal instruments of the regional grouping and how to move on to establish the regional centrse and mechanisms, according to Bairagi. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed the need for stronger regional cooperation, whether to combat a virus or access export markets and build new supply chains across the region, according to Xavier. The Government of Sri Lanka had earlier proposed to host the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Colombo on 04 September 2020, preceded by the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on 03 September 2020. Besides finalising the charter, the foreign secretary level meet will also finalise the date of Bimstec ministerial level meeting, finalise the text of rules of procedure of the regional body, develop a common template for establishing BIMSTEC centers, and announce a new secretary general from Bhutan, among others, according to Bairagi. The scheduled meeting of the top leaders of the seven-nation regional group in Sri Lanka would have adopted a charter to help it move forward. These meetings would have discussed the 14 areas of cooperation between the members. The 4th BIMSTEC Summit concluded in Kathmandu on August 31, 2018 with the signing and adoption of the Kathmandu Declaration by all the seven members. ... 2020, 8:43 am. Sri Lanka already hosted three Working Committee meetings and under the new administration of president Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka will host the 5th BIMSTEC summit in September 2020. 5th BIMSTEC Summit: Colombo, Sri lanka: BIMSTEC charter will be ready for adoption at its next biennial summit 2020 meeting scheduled to be held in Colombo this year (September). Read BIMSTEC-related topics from the links provided below: Nowadays, international summits are the most common expression for global governance. BIMSTEC SECRETARIAT House No-N.W. •The 5th edition of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit 2020 to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the month of September 2020. Amid uncertainty regarding the summit, there have also been proposals to host the fifth summit virtually between September 10-15. “India is doing over $ 100 billion trade with South-East Asian nations so why does it need BIMSTEC?”. The summit will be preceded by the 17 th Ministerial Meeting and 21 … The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and Southeast Asia, housing 1.5 billion people and having a combined gross domestic product of $3.5 trillion (2018).