PreviousNext

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized a Workshop in Bangkok on 17-18 September 2018 to finalize the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Master Plan on Transport Connectivity. Mr. Ronald Butiong, Director for Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination, South Asia Department, ADB, co-chaired the Workshop with Mr. G.V.L. Satya Kumar, Executive Director, Ministry of Railways of the Government of India. Mr. Shahidul Islam, Secretary General, BIMSTEC, delivered opening remarks. Mr. Islam stressed the importance of the Master Plan in achieving the BIMSTEC vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable Bay of Bengal region.

The Workshop:

• Introduced the process of developing the Master Plan;
• Presented the Master Plan's overall structure and main contents; and
• Gathered feedback from ministries of foreign affairs and transport line ministries/agencies of the seven BIMSTEC member states on further improvements to the Master Plan.

Workshop participants included country delegations from the seven BIMSTEC member States, comprising transport sector representatives and external affairs and economic planning ministries, attended the Workshop. Staff and consultants of the BIMSTEC Secretariat and ADB also attended.

At the 4th BIMSTEC Summit concluded on 31 August 2018 in Kathmandu, Nepal, the BIMSTEC leaders noted with satisfaction the preparation of the Master Plan, and called for its early adoption.