KATHMANDU - Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom that brought the world the concept of gross national happiness, is set to build a "mindfulness city" and will launch a $100 million bond issue on Monday to help start the project.The 'Gelephu Mindfulness City' will lie in a special administrative region with separate rules and laws that will aim to be an economic corridor linking South Asia to Southeast Asia, officials said.
A country of less than 800,000 people that is wedged between Asian giants India and China, Bhutan has been struggling to boost its $3 billion economy that is heavily reliant on aid, hydropower and tourism, and was badly hit by COVID-19 restrictions.Employment woes, with youth unemployment touching nearly 30% in 2022, triggered an exodus of young people seeking opportunities abroad, with thousands moving to Australia alone.