December 27, 2024
On 16th December 2024, Mr. Norbu Wangchuk, the Director General of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), with his Delegation paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Karma Tshering, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan, National Focal Point (NFP) for SACEP.
During the meeting, the NFP was updated with the progress of the ongoing PLEASE Project activities and progress in Bhutan. The discussion furthered to new activities such as Clean Thimphu-Paro, Clean Bhutan initiative under the direct request of the Honorable Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan, and opportunities and plan for sustainability of the PLEASE Grantees’ work after the completion of the PLEASE project.
Mr. Karma Tshering shared his commitment to send an official request letter to SACEP to quickly initiate the Prime Minister’s request on conducting massive and continued clean-up activities in Bhutan. Similarly, he suggested SACEP to keep the NFP in the regular communication loop by sharing the grantees’ progress and financial report for the Government to keep a tab on the PLEASE activities in the country, and for sustainability post-PLEASE project. The Secretary also showed interest in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Plastic Credits and bonds, and other financing mechanisms to end plastic pollution.
Mr. Tshering also congratulated Mr. Norbu Wangchuk on his recent appointment as the Director General of SACEP, and expressed his confidence that under Mr. Wangchuk’s able leadership SACEP will drive regional cooperation for environmental protection.
Finally, Mr. Wangchuk also thanked the Secretary for taking his time out for meeting him and providing guidance to SACEP. In the conversation, Mr. Norbu informed and requested Mr. Tshering for participation of the relevant officials in the upcoming activities to strengthen capacity of the SACEP, such as institutional capacity assessment, Workshop on revision of SACEP’s Article of Associations, and PLEASE project activities including the Regional Round Table to name a few.
