Kathmandu to host fourth BIMSTEC meeting

The country is hosting Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) meeting soon.

The fourth BIMSTEC Summit – an inter-regional economic bloc of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand – is going to be held in Kathmandu.

The sub regional body that includes five countries from South Asia and two from South East Asia is meeting in Nay Pyi Taw of Myanmar on March 1-4 for third summit.

Nepal will host the fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, when the head of states/government of all member countries visit Nepal.

Nepal that has been an active member since it formally joined the bloc in February 2004 can project itself as a favoured investment destination.

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala is visiting Myanmar – as his first foreign trip after being sworn in as the executive head of the state – to take part in the third BIMSTEC summit.

Though, India used to be the first port of call for prime ministers of Nepal, Koirala will make his first foreign visit to Myanmar instead of the southern neighbour.

However, he will meet Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the summit in Myanmar.