The meeting with the theme “ACD – The Way Forward” discussed regional economic integration, interconnectivity, sustainable development and mechanisms on further strengthening the ACD process.
Yenten Thinley
from Thimphu
The 14th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) held in Bangkok starting yesterday will end today.
The Bhutanese delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lyonpo Damcho Dorji.
A press release from the ministry said that Lyonpo is attending the meeting on the invitation of the Thai Foreign Minister and Chair of the Ministerial meeting H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai.
The ministerial meeting was preceded by the senior officials meeting to which Foreign Secretary Tshering Dorji led the delegation. The Bhutanese delegation includes officials from the foreign affairs ministry and Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Bangkok.
The meeting with the theme “ACD – The Way Forward” discussed regional economic integration, interconnectivity, sustainable development and mechanisms on further strengthening the ACD process.
According to the press release, the meeting also considered the proposal of upgrading the provisional secretariat to a permanent secretariat and reprioritizing the existing 20 areas of cooperation under six priority pillars.
It further says that the outcome of the ministerial meeting is to be submitted to the second ACD Summit which is tentatively scheduled to be held in October 2016 in Thailand. The ministerial meeting also formally endorsed the accession of Nepal as its 34 member country.
On the sidelines of the ACD ministerial meeting, Lyonpo also held bilateral talks with the Thai Foreign Minister, stated the press release. It further says that the two sides expressed satisfaction with the close and growing ties between the two countries and discussed ways of further enhancing the relations.
Lyonpo also met with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Executive Secretary Dr. Shamshad Akhtar.
ACD is an Asia-wide cooperation framework established in June 2002 with the main objective of promoting Pan-Asian Cooperation, expanding trade and financial market within Asia and enhancing Asia’s economic competitiveness in the global market.
Bhutan became a member of ACD in 2004 and the ACD was founded by 18 members.
