Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Urge to create a more connected and integrated region

Experts called for creating a more connected and integrated region.
Addressing the fourth edition of the Young Scholars’ Forum – organised by the Asian Confluence yesterday and today in Shillong, Meghalaya with collaboration with Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi, Asian Center for Development, Bangladesh and Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs, Nepal (AIDIA) – secretary general at the BIMSTEC Secretariat ambassador Shahidul Islam urged the scholars to help bring together ideas, collaborations and action towards creating a more connected and integrated region.
Likewise, speaking at the forum that has the 'Engaging Youth to Re-envision the regional discourse and action on Water and Rivers: For Trade, Connectivity, Tourism, Livelihood and Climate Change Adaption' theme for this year, secretary at the North Eastern Council Ram Muivah said that the engagement of young minds is a key ingredient towards solving development challenges of the North East. He also highlighted the immense potential that the region has, particularly in terms of cross-border trade, tourism, water resources, and hordes of other sectors and connecting physically, culturally and intellectually will help North East region to be transformed from a land-locked to a water-linked land bridge.
Director general at the Indian Council of World Affairs ambassador TCA Raghavan, on the occasion, shared that scholarship is key to harness ideas, energies and faculties from young minds of the region towards a more connected and prosperous region. "The minimal level of south-Asian intra-regional economic cooperation despite having abundance resources at its disposal," he stressed highlighting the significance of the connectivity-driven policy focus for enhancing regional cooperation. 
The forum came up with key ideas and directions for research and action agenda to be taken up by young scholars from across the region to influence the regional discourse on water and rivers. The forum also concluded that coalitions and tangible collaborations both within and across borders, based on fresh thinking, ideation and research by young minds is the key to create a change pathway that speaks to the needs of the countries and region. Involved and participatory thinking and action will help bring creative breakthroughs, which in turn will help find solutions to complex and layered problems of the region.

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