ID :
30141
Fri, 11/14/2008 - 09:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/30141
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B.I.M.S.T.E.C. moots food bank for member states
New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said B.I.M.S.T.E.C. (comprising India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand) has mooted setting up of a food bank to help needy member states.
"An idea was mooted that countries pool their part of
resources and set up a food bank for needy countries whenever
necessary," he said addressing a press conference after the
B.I.M.S.T.E.C. summit here.
He said the member countries discussed the role of
cooperation with regard to research and extension facilities
in which countries of B.I.M.S.T.E.C. can cooperate with each
other.
He said there was extensive discussion on issues
relating to food security.
To ensure food security, the Prime Minister said the
leaders discussed two aspects -- how to increase agriculture
production and productivity, which are fundamental to solve
the problem of food scarcity.
He said the Bay of Bengal Initiative for
Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(B.I.M.S.T.E.C.)decided to concentrate on 13 sectors including
trade and investment, transport and communication, energy,
agriculture, tourism, public health, counter-terrorism,
environment and natural disaster and people-to-people contact.
Referring to these identified areas of cooperation,
the Prime Minister said all B.I.M.S.T.E.C. nations would
benefit from joint thinking, exchange of best practices and
learning from each other's experiences in these areas.
"If cooperation in all these areas grow then all
countries of the B.I.M.S.T.E.C.region would benefit," he said.
Singh said the B.I.M.S.T.E.C. Summit had "nearly
completed work" on four areas of cooperation on which formal
agreements would be signed soon.
These were a convention on combating international
terrorism, trans-national organised crime and illegal drug
trafficking, Memoranda of Association on setting up of a
B.I.M.S.T.E.C. Engineering Centre and a weather and climate
centre in India and a cultural observatory in Bhutan.
Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said the
global crisis, which originated from the US and Europe, had
affected the developing world but had had a "relatively less"
impact.
"We are affected, though relatively less than the
banking and financial sector of the developed countries,"
Singh said.
"Our banks are relatively well-regulated. They have
adequate capital-asset ratio. Therefore, there is no danger to
the health of financial system in the B.I.M.S.T.E.C. region,"
he said.
However, because of the slowdown in the developed
countries as a result of financial meltdown, the growth rates
in the developing nations might be affected, he said.
Singh said the G-20 should do everything to ensure
that the Millennium Development Goals were not adversely
affected. PTI ARC
"An idea was mooted that countries pool their part of
resources and set up a food bank for needy countries whenever
necessary," he said addressing a press conference after the
B.I.M.S.T.E.C. summit here.
He said the member countries discussed the role of
cooperation with regard to research and extension facilities
in which countries of B.I.M.S.T.E.C. can cooperate with each
other.
He said there was extensive discussion on issues
relating to food security.
To ensure food security, the Prime Minister said the
leaders discussed two aspects -- how to increase agriculture
production and productivity, which are fundamental to solve
the problem of food scarcity.
He said the Bay of Bengal Initiative for
Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(B.I.M.S.T.E.C.)decided to concentrate on 13 sectors including
trade and investment, transport and communication, energy,
agriculture, tourism, public health, counter-terrorism,
environment and natural disaster and people-to-people contact.
Referring to these identified areas of cooperation,
the Prime Minister said all B.I.M.S.T.E.C. nations would
benefit from joint thinking, exchange of best practices and
learning from each other's experiences in these areas.
"If cooperation in all these areas grow then all
countries of the B.I.M.S.T.E.C.region would benefit," he said.
Singh said the B.I.M.S.T.E.C. Summit had "nearly
completed work" on four areas of cooperation on which formal
agreements would be signed soon.
These were a convention on combating international
terrorism, trans-national organised crime and illegal drug
trafficking, Memoranda of Association on setting up of a
B.I.M.S.T.E.C. Engineering Centre and a weather and climate
centre in India and a cultural observatory in Bhutan.
Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said the
global crisis, which originated from the US and Europe, had
affected the developing world but had had a "relatively less"
impact.
"We are affected, though relatively less than the
banking and financial sector of the developed countries,"
Singh said.
"Our banks are relatively well-regulated. They have
adequate capital-asset ratio. Therefore, there is no danger to
the health of financial system in the B.I.M.S.T.E.C. region,"
he said.
However, because of the slowdown in the developed
countries as a result of financial meltdown, the growth rates
in the developing nations might be affected, he said.
Singh said the G-20 should do everything to ensure
that the Millennium Development Goals were not adversely
affected. PTI ARC
