At the meeting, ICIMOD’s Director Strategic Cooperation, Basanta Shrestha, made a presentation on regional integration in South Asia. His presentation focused on the role of the corporate sector in climate change adaptation. Basanta Shrestha introduced ICIMOD and highlighted the impact of climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, stressing the need for corporate sector engagement. SAARC CCI thanked ICIMOD for its participation and welcomed ICIMOD to lead the climate change component.

The meeting was jointly organized by SAARC CCI and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). National business federations from all the SAARC member countries attended the meeting. The Government of India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, General Vijay Kumar Singh, was the chief guest.

The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established in 1985, aims to voice the concerns of South Asia’s private sector at relevant platforms and to provide policy recommendations on economic and trade-related issues to the SAARC Secretariat. It serves as the apex body of all the National Federations of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of SAARC member countries.