A two-day inaugural Conference of the International Think Tank (ITT) for Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia today, by adopting its Ministerial Declaration.
Hon. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, led a five-member Nepali delegation to the Conference.
Speaking at the closing session of the Conference, the Hon. Minister congratulated all the members of the Think Tank for the success in establishing the Think Tank and also appreciated the leadership of Mongolia in this regard. The Hon. Minister also highlighted that support from all sides would be key to the full operation and success of the Think Tank.
The Conference featured an opening session, two introductory sessions on the work of the Think Tank and three thematic sessions on: 1. FDI and Economic Diversification in LLDCs; 2. ICT- Connectivity; and 3. Infrastructure Development, Transit Transport Corridors and Trade Facilitation for LLDCs. The speakers highlighted several issues associated with landlockedness and underlined the important role of the Think Tank to focus its study and research in solving them.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Nepal and Mongolia signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and the Ministry of Foreign Affair of Mongolia on Establishment of Bilateral Consultation Mechanism. The MoU was signed by Hon. Foreign Minister Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on behalf of the Government of Nepal, and by H.E. Mr. DamdinTsogtbaatar on behalf of the Government of Mongolia, amid a special ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia this morning. Before signing the MoU, the two ministers exchanged views on further strengthening Nepal-Mongolia relations.
In the afternoon today, Hon. Minister Gyawali paid a courtesy call on H.E. KhaltmaagiinBattulga, President of Mongolia, and conveyed greetings and best wishes of the President of Nepal for the continued peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Mongolia. Matters pertaining to bilateral relations were also discussed during the meeting..
The Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs, leading the Nepali delegation, arrived in Ulaanbaatar on 10 June and is scheduled to return to Nepal via Beijing on 13 June 2018.
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The Conference operationalizes the Think Tank, as the first intergovernmental body of LLDCs. Currently, the Multilateral Agreement that established the Think Tank has been ratified by 12 LLDCs, including Nepal. Nepal acceded to the Agreement as the 10th country on 7 August 2017, triggering the entry into force of the Agreement effective from 6 October 2017 (i.e. 60 days after the deposition of the 10th instrument of accession/ratification).
Article II of the Agreement says that the overall goal of the Think Tank is to use top-quality research and advocacy to improve the ability of LLDCs to build trade capacity, with the ultimate aim of raising human development and reducing poverty. The focus of the Think Tank will be to assist its members with various studies and research on issues such as boosting international trade, transit cooperation, enhancing connectivity including though ICTs and infrastructure development, regional integration and other priority areas of the Vienna Programme of Action for LLDCs
12 June 2018
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Singhadurbar.