Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade RGOB
The Ninth Meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC) was hosted virtually by the Royal Government of Bhutan on 25 November 2021.
Honโble Home Minister Lyonpo Ugyen Dorji, in his keynote address at the inaugural session, highlighted how His Majesty the King has been successfully leading the fight against the pandemic, with science and wisdom on one hand and care and compassion on the other. He also commended on the true spirit of friendship, solidarity and cooperation demonstrated by the Member States particularly during such trying times of the pandemic, as envisioned by the founding fathers of BIMSTEC. The Honโble Minister stressed on the significance of enhancing international and regional efforts in combating criminal activities, including financing of terrorism.
The Bhutanese delegation was led by Mr Kado Zangpo, Officiating Secretary, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs (MoHCA), and included officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, Royal Bhutan Police, Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority, Office of the Attorney General, and the Royal Monetary Authority.
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime is one of the fourteen priority thematic areas of cooperation under BIMSTEC. Activities under this thematic area are conducted through the JWG-CTTC. The First Meeting of the JWG-CTTC was held in 2004 in New Delhi.
The Ninth Meeting of the JWG-CTTC deliberated and made recommendations on wide ranging issues to enhance cooperation and collaboration in countering terrorism and transnational crime in the region.
BIMSTEC was established in June 1997 as a regional group comprising seven Member States from the Bay of Bengal Region. Bhutan became a member in 2004.
