The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional initiative comprising seven member countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It was established in 1997, and BIMSTEC aims to encourage economic and technical cooperation among its member countries across seven sectors; 1) Trade, investment and development 2) Environment and climate change 3) Security 4) Agriculture and food security 5) People-to-people contact 6) Science, technology and innovation 7) Connectivity. The initiative seeks to enhance acquaintance and collaboration, drive sustainable development, and improve the quality of life in the Bay of Bengal region through collective efforts and shared expertise.
Among the sectors of cooperation, the sector of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and the sub-sectors of Technology; Health; Human Resource Development are led by Sri Lanka. Particularly, the coordinating the STI sub-sector and the establishment of Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) under the cooperation are carried out by the National Science and Technology Commission of Sri Lanka (NASTEC) under the purview of Ministry of Education (MoE), the subject ministry of STI in Sri Lanka. As the apex body for developing the policies, strategies, and plans on matters related to STI, NASTEC has been involved in these activities in gathering evidence to strengthen the for policy formulation and international collaboration in science policy for diplomacy activities of the Commission as per the mandate. It aims to enhance the contribution of Sri Lanka, as a leading state on STI under BIMSTEC, for regional development at a multilateral interface. Notably, NASTEC has been instrumental in compiling comprehensive assessments of STI sectors in the region, fostering a culture of innovation, and propelling sustainable economic growth and development within BIMSTEC.
The first meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on STI (EGT) was held in hybrid mode in June 2023, hosted by NASTEC in Sri Lanka. As an adoption of the first meeting, the second meeting of the BIMSTEC EGT in 2024 is expected to be held on 25-26th July 2024 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. According to the BIMSTEC Rules of Procedure (RoP) for BIMSTEC mechanisms, two representatives from each member country will participate in the meeting, including two Sri Lankan head delegates. As head of the delegation, Sri Lanka will chair the meeting. The objectives of the meeting are set to address several major activities aimed at enhancing regional cooperation and progress as per the action plan enacted in the 1st EGT meeting. Accordingly, the approval of the assessment of the STI report of member countries 2022, initiation of compiling the 2023 report, followed by a comprehensive discussion on extending the action plan for another two years of 2025-2026, outlining strategic initiatives and goals for the forthcoming period, progress on the establishment of the TTF under the cooperation, reviewing the boot camp activity to foster innovation and knowledge exchange focused on under women empowerment: “Addressing food security to eliminate poverty, combat climate change and achieve SDGs directed to women empowerment”.
On the second day of the event, an industry tour is planned to take all the foreign delegates on field visits to experience industry-linked STI activities. It would have an indirect impact (spill overs) on linking public and private entities for economic advancement across the borders, which is one of the goals to be newly proposed by Sri Lanka to include in the action plan expedition for 2025 and 2026.
Ultimately, the second meeting of the BIMSTEC EG – STI in 2024 marks a significant advancement in regional cooperation, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing the quality of life within the Bay of Bengal region, paving the way forward.
National Science and Technology Commission of Sri Lanka (NASTEC)
Ministry of Education (MoE)
27 June 2024
