Kathmandu, October 6:

The first conference of energy ministers of the member countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sector Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMST-EC) concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday.

A delegation led by Binod Kumar Shah, assistant minister for water resources represented Nepal at the meeting. The delegates from BIMST-EC member countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand discussed the working area and plan after identifying issues of mutual cooperation. The meeting also identified hydrocarbon, hydropower, electricity and natural gas, energy conservation and sustainable development of renewable energies as possible working areas in which mutual cooperation can be worked out in the near future for economic development of the member countries.