Department of Multilateral Affairs

Mandates

• To promote and safeguard Bhutan’s interest and enhance its image through effective participation in the multilateral arena.
• To pursue membership to international organisations in keeping with national interest and priorities.
• To negotiate, conclude and pursue the implementation of international treaties that are in keeping with national interest and priorities and to facilitate the fulfilment of national obligations under the treaties.
• To pursue strategic candidatures in international bodies with a view to enhancing Bhutan’s profile and role in international affairs and promoting Bhutan’s interests while supporting friendly states which have similar aspirations.

Divisions and their mandates

The Department consists of the following Divisions:

1. Social and Development Division
2. Regional Cooperation Division
3. Political and International Security Division

Social and Development Division

The Division is primarily responsible for managing and coordinating RGoB’s engagement in the multilateral fora on a wide spectrum of matters ranging from sustainable development, economic cooperation, climate change and environment, human rights and humanitarian affairs, disaster risk reduction, social development including health, education, youth and sports to crime prevention. The Division’s work is aligned to the Second (Economic and Financial),Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Issues) and Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) of the UN General Assembly. The Division is mandated to:

1. Exercise political oversight over and facilitate RGoB representation in key multilateral fora.
2. Facilitate ratification of international instruments and conventions as well as membership to international organisations in keeping with national interests and priorities.
3. Coordinate, monitor and ensure fulfilment of RGoB’s international reporting and financial obligations.
4. Facilitate RGoB’s cooperation with the UN and other international organisations.
5. Coordinate with line agencies to ensure coherent and effective representation.

The Division comprise of the following officers:

Regional Cooperation Division

The Division is primarily responsible for managing and coordinating RGoB’s regional engagements and cooperation with the various regional bodies and mechanisms to which Bhutan is a member. The Division is responsible for exercising political oversight and coordinating RGoB representation at various regional fora with a view to accelerate economic growth, social progress, cultural development and people to people exchanges within the region. The Division serves as the national focal point of the Royal Government for the following regional organisations:

1. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
2. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
3. Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)

The Division is mandated to:

1. Act as the channel of communication between the Regional Organisations and the various agencies of the Government.
2. Process, monitor and coordinate the implementation of various activities emanating from the decisions taken by these organisations, the regional centres, the SAARC Development Fund, SAARC apex bodies and SAARC recognized bodies.
3. Provide guidance on both policy matters and preparations for participation in SAARC, BIMSTEC and ACD related meetings.
4. Assist with participation in inter-governmental meetings and high level ministerial and Summit level meetings.
5. Process and coordinate the ratification and implementation of the SAARC and BIMSTEC Conventions/Agreements
6. Preparation for annual high level SAARC Charter body, BIMSTEC and ACD meetings at the level of Head of Government, Foreign Minister, Foreign Secretary.
7. Coordinate and monitor holding of SAARC and BIMSTEC meetings in Bhutan and outside the country.   

The Division comprise of the following officers:

Political and International Security Division 

The Division is primarily responsible for managing and coordinating RGoB’s engagement in the multilateral fora on matters related to disarmament, non-proliferation and other political issues that implicate international peace and security. Intuitively this allows the Division to broadly follow and align its mandate to the work of the following two main Committees of the UN General Assembly:

• The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security Committee) covers matters related to nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, outer space (disarmament aspects), conventional weapons, regional disarmament and security, other disarmament measures and international security, and the disarmament machinery.
• The Fourth (Special Political and Decolonization Committee) covers a variety of political issues, the major ones being ‘Decolonization’ and the ‘Middle East’. Amongst others, it also reviews UN peacekeeping operations and political missions around the world. 

In addition, the Division’s mandate also includes the following important areas:

• Bhutan’s compliance to UN Security Council resolutions on maintenance of international peace and security including counterterrorism which are legally binding on UN Member States. 
• Deployment of Bhutanese peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations around the world and contribute to global peace and security.
• Intergovernmental elections which provide a means for RGoB to achieve important foreign policy objectives. 
• International law and other legal matters concerning the UN (Sixth Committee) including fulfilling UN legal processes on treaty ratification and deposit.
• Reform initiatives related to the UN Security Council and the UN.
• Host country matters related to UN entities and other international organizations that have physical presence in the country.   

Support staff