Bhutan became the 12th State Party to the Multilateral Agreement for the Establishment of an International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries with the deposit of the instrument of Accession on April 3 by the Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the UN, Ambassador Doma Tshering.

A press release from the foreign ministry states that lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness from international market and high transportation costs a impose severe constraints on the overall socio-economic development of the 32 landlocked developing countries.

“Accession to the Multilateral Agreement marks Bhutan’s strong support for institutional frameworks that will strengthen intergovernmental collaboration to advance the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action on Landlocked Developing countries,” the press release states.

The Multilateral Agreement entered into force on October 6, 2017. The legal force for Bhutan will be effectuated on the sixtieth day after the deposit of the instrument of accession with the United Nations Secretary General on June 2, 2018.

Staff reporter