Policy Brief on BIMSTEC Appraisal through Governance Lens
Citation: Raihan, S., Sharmin, E. (2024). “BIMSTEC: Appraisal through Governance Lens”. SANEM-The Asia Foundation Policy Brief. November 2024. SANEM Publications. Dhaka.
This study analyzes governance aspects across BIMSTEC member states. Using six key dimensions from the WGI dataset: Voice and Accountability, Rule of Law, Regulatory Quality, Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism, Government Effectiveness, and Control of Corruption, the analysis reveals significant disparities in governance quality among member states. For instance, Bhutan consistently demonstrates strong performance across most indicators, while countries like Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh generally show weaker governance structures. India maintains relatively stable but mixed performance, while Sri Lanka and Thailand exhibit volatility in their governance indicators, often coinciding with periods of political instability. The findings from this study conclude that these governance disparities significantly impact BIMSTEC’s effectiveness as a regional organization and recommend targeted reforms, including enhancing citizen participation, strengthening the rule of law, improving regulatory quality, addressing political instability, and tackling corruption through institutional reforms. Addressing these governance gaps is crucial for BIMSTEC to function effectively as a unified regional bloc and achieve its goals of regional integration and sustainable development.