Participation in the South Asia Regional Dialogue on Climate Adaptation and Resilience (Bangkok, July 2025)

The “South Asia Regional Dialogue on Climate Adaptation and Resilience” was held in the Marriott Hotel in Bangkok on 29-31 July 2025. The event was organised jointly by Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), World Bank and SAARC Secretariat. The dialogue convened high-level government officials, technical experts, development partners, and key stakeholders from across South Asia. Representatives from international organisations, UN agencies, and diplomatic missions based in Bangkok also attended. This event aimed to strengthen regional collaboration for climate adaptation and resilience. The dialogue provided a unique opportunity for governments and development partners to discuss actions across the region, fostering a shared vision for climate-resilient development. Discussions focused on regional priority actions for climate resilience and financing opportunities to support their implementation, ensuring the region is better equipped to address the escalating impacts of climate change through coordinated and sustainable solutions.

Notable Participants:

The dignitaries and participants of the conference include government representatives and experts from BIMSTEC countries and officials of international organisations. The notable participants were: HE Mr Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of SAARC; HE Mr Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand; HE Mr. Dhan Bahadur Oli, Ambassador of Nepal to Thailand; HE Ms Huda Ali Shareef, Ambassador-at-Large, Maldives; HE Ms Rukhsana Afzaal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand; Mr Gobinda Bahadur Karkee, Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Nepal; Mr Amjad Abdulla, Director General, Climate Change Department, Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Government of Maldives, Mr Md Moniruzzaman, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture in Bangladesh; Mr Mahendra Jagath, Deputy Director, Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka; Mr Keshab Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Nepal; Mr Mahesh Chandra Neupane, Director General, Department of Local Infrastructure Development, Nepal; Mr Md Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan, Deputy Secretary, Local Government Division, Bangladesh; Mr Md Anowar Hossain, Additional Chief Engineer, Local Government Engineering Department, Bangladesh; Dr Madan B. Regmi (Economic Affairs Officer, Transport Division, UNESCAP, Thailand; Mr Gokarna Mani Duwadee, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal; Dr Kapil Gnawali, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Nepal; Ms Safeenaz Hassan, National Disaster Management Authority of the Maldives, Mr Ajeet Kumar Karn, Department of Forest and Soil Conservation, Nepal; Dr Saqib Ali, Professor, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan; Ms Safeenaz Hassan, Secretary General, NDMA Maldives; Ms Mariam Ayub, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Pakistan; Ms Meleena Shakya, Senior Divisional Hydrologist, Ministry of Energy, Nepal; Dr Zeenatul Islam, Associate Professor, University of Rajshahi, Ms Roxane Bandini-Maeder, CEO, Geoneon Pty Ltd, Australia; Mr Ajeet Kumar Karn, Deputy Director General, Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (DoFSC), Nepal; Mr Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director of ADPC; and Mr Irfan Maqbool, Director of Risk Governance and Financing Department, ADPC.