The B20 Conference was held at the state banquet hall in Kohima, Nagaland with a focus on opportunities for multilateral partnerships in agriculture and food processing, tourism and IT.
On Wednesday, the fourth and last G20 business meet in the northeast in Kohima saw the participation of 60 delegates from 27 countries, central and state government officials, business communities, local entrepreneurs and stakeholders.
Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, minister of State for external affairs while delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session, exhibited confidence that the northeast region will become India's gateway to southeast Asia. He said once the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway is completed, the region will have seamless land connectivity with the heart of ASEAN and beyond.
In addition to this, he said the government is continuously working for seamless land and railway connectivity with Bangladesh. Plunging northeast India to the business community for investment, Singh said the region, bounded by ASEAN, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, can be seen as a potentially dynamic region of the world with the youth playing a critical role in hospitality and caregiving sectors across India.
He said the northeast with its rich human resource base can grow its business in the region and beyond offering huge and relatively unexplored market opportunities.
Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio welcoming all the delegates and participants, pointed to the great investment opportunities in the agriculture and allied sectors of the state.
Rio instructed the delegates on the great capability the tourism industry holds in the state, especially for those desiring a unique 'out of the box' experience.
He said Nagaland is fully geared up to put in place all the necessary systems and the enabling policy framework for the assurance of a strong exchange of investment and business opportunities and assisting rapid and sustained industrial development in the state.
Pradeep Bagla, chairman, CII, North East Council, while delivering the welcome address expressed hope that the B20 conference in Kohima will not only carry the momentum forward but also set a new benchmark.
Cuban ambassador Alejandro Simancas while expressing his pleasure in attending the B20 meet said that Cuba is ready to offer all the capacity in the field of education, medicine, and sports.
Iceland ambassador Gudni Bragason shed light on the areas, such as clean energy, health sector, tourism, research and development, where Nagaland and Iceland can be partners.
Jamaican high commissioner Jason Keats Mathew Hall emphasized the tremendous potential of the coffee industry in Nagaland as well as the tourism industry. He said Jamaica is open to collaborating with Nagaland in developing the tourism sector.
Panama ambassador and consul general Yasiel Burillo spoke about the similarities between Panama and Nagaland when it comes to agricultural practices and the importance given to producing organic products. She continued by saying that Panama is open to the notion of exchanging cultures with the Naga people.
