Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Opposition Leader and supremo of Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) in Bhutan, likely to be next Director General of ICIMOD- (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development), an international organization based in Kathmandu. He will replace incumbent Director General Dr. DavId Molden in mid-october this year.
What is ICIMOD? ICIMOD is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre that develops and shares research, information, and innovations to empower people in the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayas– Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Bhutan being a tiny Himalayan nation between China and India cannot compete in terms of economics, and military but holding such a position would be an advantage for Bhutan. Because Director-General not only plays a key leadership role to engage partners to rise stressing issues in the regions but also has the opportunity to bring the regional government to create the necessary regional mechanism and to support the national response to agriculture, climate, and other pressing environment and livelihood issues.
I think he is the right person for the right chair to give strategic direction to the pursuit of ICIMOD’s vision and mission when the centre is looking for a unique experienced, talented and dynamic leadership style that’ll motivate and inspire people.
OL is yet to submit his resignation paper officially source confirmed via social media. This could be his second stint with the ICIMOD before also he worked as a watershed specialist.
Many people who congratulated OL for his next move felt it is the right decision in the international sphere to bring for Bhutan’s advantage.
However, a political observer would defer the idea since it would lead to the decline of the opposition party’s stand inside and outside parliament. Because OL is respected politicians and considered as a uniting force in Bhutanese politics and within the opposition party. It will also impact democracy in terms of representation.
He became the first democratically elected Agriculture minister after the historic first parliamentary election in 2008, the Opposition Leader in the second and third parliamentary elections held in 2013 and 2018, and also President of Bhutan Peace and Prosperity (DPT) since 2013.
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