4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu from August 30

The 4th BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Katmandu on 30 and 31, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "We have started preparations to ensue the success of the summit," Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali told reporters here.

Nepal is the current Chair of the BIMSTEC. "It is an important regional gathering in Kathmandu after the promulgation of the new Nepalese Constitution and formation of the new government in the Himalayan nation. The government attaches high importance to the summit, for which we have formed several committees," he said. India is actively rooting for BIMSTEC as New Delhi has already hosted its leaders at the BRICS Outreach Summit in 2016 in Goa.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has as members seven nations of South Asia and Southeast Asia -- Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal. As per a decision of the 6th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Thailand in 2004, the summit should be held every two years, as far as possible. However, till date, summit meetings have been held only in 2004, 2008 and 2014. Senior officials will meet on August 28, followed by a ministerial meeting on August 30. Heads of State and government of seven member-states will meet onAugust 31.