Question – On 28 November 2021, which country hosted the 9th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on the topic ‘Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime’ was held virtually?
(a) Bhutan
(b) Bangladesh
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) India
Answer—(a)
Related facts—
- On 28 November 2021, Bhutan hosted the 9th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on the topic ‘Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime’ was held virtually.
- It was attended by all the BIMSTEC Members States i.e. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
- It is noteworthy that India is the Lead Country for BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC), which also oversees six Sub-Groups on (a) Intelligence Sharing (b) Legal and Law Enforcement (c) Countering Radicalization and Terrorism (d) Anti- Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (e) Human Trafficking and (f) Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals.
- The ninth meeting discussed emerging traditional and non-traditional security threats in the BIMSTEC region.
- India highlighted threats emanating from cross-border terrorism from terrorist groups such as LeT, JeM, HM etc. and transnational organized crime such as drug trafficking, illegal weapons smuggling etc.
- Other issues —
- The other issues in the meeting discussed are implementation of the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, which entered into force on 16 March 2021 upon ratification by all Member States.
- India would be hosting the tenth Meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (JWG-CTTC) in 2022.