Union Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin participates in 5th BIMSTEC Summit via videoconference

On behalf of the Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister of Myanmar, U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, participated in the 5th BIMSTEC Summit via videoconference from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw which was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in hybrid mode at 10:05 am on 30 March 2022.
The Summit was also attended by the Heads of State/Governments of other BIMSTEC Member States which are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and the Secretary-General of BIMSTEC.
At the Summit, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka made the opening remarks, and other Leaders of BIMSTEC Member States also delivered their statements.
The Union Minister stated in his statement that it was a great honour to attend the Summit on behalf of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister of Myanmar. He congratulated the host, Sri Lanka, for its dedication to convening the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit which has set a historic milestone of BIMSTEC cooperation by signing the BIMSTEC Charter and other important agreements. He underscored that BIMSTEC has entered into a new era through the signing of the BIMSTEC Charter which ensures BIMSTEC to be a rule-based organization. He mentioned that the Charter has reaffirmed the long-standing principles of BIMSTEC such as the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful co-existence, mutual respect and consensus. He highlighted that the principle of sovereign equality has at direct correlation with mutual trust, confidence and understanding of the cooperation mechanism by the Member States. He expressed his confidence that a strong “Regional Resilient” against the backdrop of global economic recession can be built through the collective power of BIMSTEC based on the solidarity of seven Member States of BIMSTEC.
He also underscored that terrorism is an unacceptable affront to all humanity and must condemn all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, which cannot be justified under any circumstances, regardless of their motivation, forms and manifestations, wherever and whoever committed. He welcomed the entry into force of the “BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combatting International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking” and the signing of the “BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters” during the Summit. He congratulated Thailand for taking responsibility for the next Chair of BIMSTEC cooperation and assured Myanmar’s full support and active cooperation.
At the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit, the Leaders of BIMSTEC Member States signed the BIMSTEC Charter virtually and displayed the signed page on the screen. The Union Minister for Foreign Affairs also displayed the signed page of the Charter by the Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing simultaneously with other BIMSTEC Leaders.
At the Summit, three legal instruments; BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, BIMSTEC Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Cooperation in the Field of Diplomatic Training among the Diplomatic Academies/Training Institutions of the Member States and Memorandum of Association on the Establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) were also signed. On behalf of Myanmar, U Han Thu, Myanmar Ambassador to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka signed those three legal instruments at the Summit in Colombo.
The Summit also approved the reconstituted Sectors and Sub-Sectors of BIMSTEC Cooperation and adopted the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity. According to the reconstituted structure in the BIMSTEC, Myanmar will be the Lead Country in the Agricultural and Food Security Sector.
Then, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka handed over the chairmanship of BIMSTEC to General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Retd), Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The Declaration of the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit was issued at the end of the Meeting by consensus.—MNA