When considering whether to ratify or accede to an international agreement (whether it is a convention, treaty, protocol, or other similar instrument), Bhutan considers a number of factors:
- The benefits to the State generally of becoming a Party;
- The benefits to specific sectors, such as environment, public health, etc.;
- Whether Bhutan believes that it can fulfil the agreement’s obligations; and
- International comity and a desire to cooperate with nations that consider the agreement a high priority.
Once there is a decision that these factors weigh in favor of becoming a Party, the ratification process is fairly straight-forward but at the same time it can be long. The ratification process entails a series of steps, which include:
- 1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests the designated agency to conduct a study on the particular agreement(s) in question (for environmental agreements, this is the National Environment Commission Secretariat).
- 2. After studying the agreement(s), the designated agency issues its recommendation. If it recommends ratification, it submits its study (in both English and the official national language of Dzongkha) to the Council of Ministers for their approval.
- 3. If it approves ratification, the Council of Ministers instructs the designated agency to submit the agreement(s) to the National Assembly. During a National Assembly meeting, the designated agency explains the reasons why Bhutan should ratify the agreement.
- 4. If the National Assembly agrees, the agreement is ratified.
For more information, contact Mr. Karma Tshering at ktshering@nec.gov.bt