At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand Don Pramudwinai, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry participated at the inaugural BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Retreat on 17 July 2023 in Bangkok.
The Foreign Ministers of BIMSTEC Member States welcomed the initiative of Thailand to host a Retreat which facilitated an exchange of ideas in an informal setting.
There was a broad agreement on the importance of creating crisis response mechanisms in BIMSTEC member states to coordinate for different contingencies. Food security, public health, energy, financial security, as well as trade and economic cooperation were at the core of the discussions. Furthermore, the meeting also considered establishing digital payment systems, as well as strengthening cooperation in cyber security and prevention of transnational crimes.
The Foreign Ministers agreed to hold a Retreat on a regular basis, preferably in the first quarter of each year. And a Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers paid a joint courtesy call on the Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha after the conclusion of the Retreat.
In his remarks at the Retreat, Minister Sabry highlighted the need for agreeing on a common vision and having an action plan with short, mid & long-term priorities to implement the areas for cooperation identified during the discussion.
On the sidelines of the Retreat, Minister Sabry had bilateral meetings with Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Dr A.K. Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Dr Tanji Dorji, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bhutan, Than Swe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, and Narayan Prakash Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal where he discussed matters of bilateral importance.
On 18 July Minister Sabry addressed an Investment Forum titled “Invest in Sri Lanka- Now is the Time” organized jointly by the Embassy of Sri Lanka to Thailand and Permanent Mission to UNESCAP and the Federation of Thai Industries. Welcoming Minister Sabry to the Federation of Thai Industries, its Chairman Kriengkrai Thiennukul assured that the Federation is ready to cooperate with Sri Lanka’s business sector and disclosed that arrangements are being made to send a business delegation to Sri Lanka in the near future.
Minister Sabry invited Thai entrepreneurs to make use of the strategic location of Sri Lanka as a Gateway to enter the markets in South Asia, Middle East and Africa and enlightened the membership of Federation of Thai Industries on Sri Lanka’s emergence as a promising investment destination with immense potential for growth and prosperity, and emphasized the need for collaborative efforts in building a prosperous future together.
In an interview to the National Broadcasting Service of Thailand, Minister Sabry elaborated on the initiatives taken by the Government of Sri Lanka for the country’s economic recovery. Highlighting Thailand’s role as a regional player, Minister Sabry invited Thai entrepreneurs to invest in Sri Lanka and make use of the market access to India, Pakistan and Singapore through Free Trade Agreements.
The Sri Lanka delegation included Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand and Permanent Representative to ESCAP C.A. Chaminda I Colonne, Director General of Economic Affairs (Multilateral) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Samantha Pathirana, First Secretary A.W.S. Samanmali, and First Secretary (Commercial) Vireshika Bandara.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Bangkok
19 July 2023
