Bhutan`s 12th Round Table development meet begins

Thimphu: Bhutan and its international development partners today began a two-day meeting here to discuss challenges, priorities, macro-fiscal outlook and economic development roadmap for the 11th Five Year Plan.

Delegations from more than 60 partner organisations, including bilateral donors and international organisations are present at the 12th Round Table Meeting (RTM) being held from December 11-12. The Gross National Happiness Commission said the RTM will be an opportunity for the Royal Government of Bhutan to present the 11th Five Year Plan (FYP) to ensure better alignment of development assistance with national priorities for improved aid-effectiveness. The meeting includes presentations and discussions on the FYP-11 challenges and priorities, macro-fiscal outlook and economic development roadmap, according to a release. India has also committed a total of Rs 45 billion for the Bhutan`s 11th Five Year Plan. The first RTM for Bhutan was held in the early 1980s. RTMs for Bhutan are held twice in the course of a five-year plan, at the beginning and in middle of the plan. The previous RTM was held in Thimphu in 2011. The meeting is organised by the Royal Government of Bhutan in partnership with the United Nations and is being co-chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lyonpo Rinzin Dorje and UN Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director, Asia and the Pacific, Haoliang Xu.