UNION Minister for For­eign Affairs of the Repub­lic of the Union of Myan­mar U Tin Maung Swe received Mr Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary-Gen­eral of BIMSTEC yes­terday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw.

Both sides ex­changed views on coop­eration sectors under BIMSTEC Framework especially on Myanmar’s active cooperation in ar­eas of agriculture and food security, regional security, counter-ter­rorism, and connectiv­ity. Furthermore, they also discussed the im­portance of adhering to the fundamental princi­ples of BIMSTEC in its relations with external partners, organizing the commemorative events and activities to mark the 30th Anniversary of BIM­STEC, which will fall on 6 June 2027, and ways to further enhance cooper­ation between Myanmar and BIMSTEC.

The visit marks the Secretary-General’s sec­ond official visit to Myan­mar. He previously paid an introductory visit to the country in July 2024 in connection with the 4th Meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs (4th BNSCs).

The Bay of Bengal In­itiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was established in 1997 and comprises seven Member States, name­ly Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The main aim of BIMSTEC is to promote economic cooperation among the Member States of the Bay of Ben­gal region. Out of the seven existing Sectors of BIMSTEC Cooperation, Myanmar is serving as the Lead Country for BIMSTEC “Agriculture and Food Security Sec­tor”. — MNA