New Delhi, Oct 13: BIMSTEC countries on Tuesday approved the Delhi Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to regional peace, security and development, with an emphasis on combating “cross-border terrorism, terror financing and radicalisation”.
The declaration, approved during the first meeting of BIMSTEC home ministers here, outlines principles guiding security cooperation and prioritises information sharing, mutual legal assistance, extradition, capacity building, and the effective implementation of existing agreements and plans of action, a government statement said.
The declaration also appreciated India’s leadership in strengthening regional security cooperation and emphasised the protection of victims of human trafficking involved in online scams.
“In the Delhi Declaration adopted at the First BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting, member countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation for regional peace, security, and development. The declaration emphasised combating cross-border terrorism, terror financing, radicalisation, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, and organised crime,” the statement said.
The ministers agreed to a series of agreements and action plans to strengthen regional security cooperation, combat transnational crimes and improve disaster preparedness, it said.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping also approved the Convention against Trafficking in Persons, the BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Drug Control and a memorandum of understanding on capacity building to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The BIMSTEC convention on human trafficking aims to enhance cooperation among member countries in preventing trafficking, criminalising the offence and ensuring the protection and rehabilitation of victims, the statement said.
The drug control plan of the grouping focuses on combating the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursor chemicals, it said.
The grouping also agreed on the memorandum of understanding on money laundering and terror financing, which provides for the exchange of best practices and extensive cooperation in the areas of financial crimes, financial intelligence, investigations, asset recovery, anti-money laundering measures, countering the financing of terrorism, and countering proliferation financing, it said.
The grouping approved the BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Illicit Financial Flows and Their Prevention, aimed at identifying the sources, risks, and channels of illicit financial flows among the member countries, it said.
“A Plan of Action for Enhancing Preparedness and Coordination to Address Natural Disasters in the Bay of Bengal Region, proposing coordinated efforts by member countries in regional risk planning, joint exercises, early warning systems, disaster mapping, training centres, information sharing, research, technological innovation, and tsunami risk reduction” was also approved, the statement said.
“India reiterated its commitment to sharing its expertise in police training, counter-terrorism operations, and forensic investigations. The meeting also emphasised cooperation in disaster management, including the proposed BIMSTEC Centre for Disaster Management in Jamnagar, Gujarat,” it said.
BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
It aims to promote economic and technical cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal and in its neighbourhood. (PTI)
