Commonwealth foreign ministers discuss migration, violent extremism, radicalisation

The foreign ministers of the Commonwealth countries have discussed socio-political issues including migration, violent extremism, and radicalisation in their meeting at Malta, the foreign ministry has said.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali led Bangladesh delegation in the meet, held before the beginning of the meeting of the heads of states on Friday.

The foreign ministry said on the concluding day of the ministers’ meet on Thursday, Ali spent a busy day with bilateral meetings, apart from attending the ministers’ meeting.

The foreign ministers before finalising the communiqué to be adopted in the Commonwealth Heads of Governments meeting discussed a wide range of political issues.

Those include migration, violent extremism and radicalisation, ending sexual violence in conflict, and early and forced marriage.

They were also working on a draft Climate Statement of Commonwealth leaders, which once finalised by the heads of states, would send a strong political message to the climate summit, COP21, to begin in Paris on Nov 29.

The foreign minister will represent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the meeting.

On Friday morning at a plenary session of Commonwealth Business Forum on “Connecting Asia: Accelerating Regional Integration and Development”, he delivered a keynote speech on behalf of the prime minister.

He spoke on regional connectivity in South Asia and highlighted how Bangladesh was playing a leading role in enhancing connectivity.

He also highlighted Bangladesh’s vision for expanding multi-modal connectivity beyond South Asia by linking South East Asia, China besides others for shared development and prosperity. 

A Bangladesh-specific roundtable was also held on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Business Forum with a “considerable” participation of business people from across Commonwealth countries.

In his address, Ali informed the business leaders about investment opportunities in Bangladesh especially in big infrastructure projects to facilitate faster, higher and sustainable growth and development.

Canada’s new Foreign Minister Stephane Dion also met Ali on the sidelines.

It was their first meeting following the formation of new cabinet in Canada.

They discussed bilateral issues and how to make Commonwealth “more dynamic”.

They agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation.

Ali apprised his new Canadian counterpart of how the government of Bangladesh was “able to effectively deal with the problems of extremism and radicalisation”.

He also filled him in about the measures and initiatives of the government taken in the aftermath of the killings of bloggers and foreign nationals.

He also highlighted Bangladesh’s socio-economic progress.

Dion invited Ali to visit Canada.

The representative of the Australian foreign minister and former foreign minister of Australia Alexander Downer also met Mahmood Ali.

The foreign ministers of the countries who fielded candidates for the Commonwealth secretary general elections met Ali and sought Bangladesh’s support.

Fifty-three countries who are the former colonies of Britain are the members of the Commonwealth.