Nagaland prepares to showcase culture, investment and partnership opportunities in B20

Mokokchung, 03 April (MTNews): As Nagaland prepares to host the fourth and final B20 meet, which is the official G20 dialogue forum for the global business community, from 4-6 April, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio informed that 64 overseas delegates from 29 countries including the UK and the USA will be participating in the event.

The delegates are from Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Estonia, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Nepal, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, United Kingdom and the United States of America, Rio said in Chumoukedima today.

Rio also said the B20 conference scheduled for April 5 will be graced by Minister of State for External Affairs, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, in the presence of senior government officials from the State and Centre.

“Taking advantage of the presence of a large contingent of international delegates, the government of Nagaland is making elaborate arrangements not only to showcase investment and partnership opportunities in the state but also to provide a unique experience for the visiting delegates with an exposure to Nagaland’s culture, local cuisine, art, festivities, and scenic beauty,” Rio said.

He further informed that the diplomatic delegation includes six ambassadors from Costa Rica, Cuba, Iceland, Jamaica, Paraguay and Panama; one Deputy Head of Missions from Estonia and two Council Generals from Costa Rica and Germany.

Meanwhile, Focused Trade and Business delegations will be from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Iceland, Japan, and the UAE will participate in the B20 program in Kohima.

As part of the program, he said, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), along with the state government, will facilitate Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Government (B2G) meetings.

“The visiting overseas delegates will get the opportunity to interact with the local industry during the B2B conference and with the government in the B2G sessions for exploring potential investment opportunities, collaboration, and tie-ups,” Rio added.

The Nagaland CM said the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), an investment promotion agency of the state, along with government departments, are preparing a curated list of investible projects on varied themes and sectors to be pitched for attracting potential investors to invest in the state.

“The meet will showcase the initiatives of the government in projecting the state as an investment-friendly destination for investors to invest and carry out business more professionally,” Rio added.

According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, after the delegates arrive on the initial day of the three-day conference, dinner and a cultural program will take place at the Capital Cultural Hall. The B20 conference will be held on day two, followed by B2B and B2G meetings.

The state government has also organized excursions and site visits. This includes a tour of the mini-Hornbill festival, an excursion to a WWII museum and a visit to a Heritage Village, Kisama Village.

The third day will bring the event to a close with a trip to the Kohima War Cemetery and the departure of the participants from Kohima.