EU 'ready’ to continue cooperating with Bangladesh

The EU Head of Delegation and Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink has conveyed the readiness of the 27-nation bloc to cooperate with the new government.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 17 Jan 2019, 06:49 PM
Updated : 17 Jan 2019, 10:39 PM

She conveyed this message at a meeting with new Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at the State Guest House Padma on Thursday, the foreign ministry said.

The ambassador congratulated Momen and reiterated willingness of the EU to remain “constructively” engaged with the new government to collaborate on good governance, deeper economic partnership, Rohingya crisis, migration, climate change and development cooperation.

They explored ways to upgrade the instruments of engagement in the context of evolving Bangladesh – EU relationship, in the post-LDC era, where bilateral agenda is shifting from development issues towards more political in nature.

Momen expressed deep appreciation and gratitude for long-standing and comprehensive EU support for Bangladesh since independence.

Terming EU Bangladesh’s important ‘partner’, he sought continued cooperation and enhanced collaboration to build even stronger partnership at all levels – governments, businesses and private sectors, academia and civil society, including public-private partnerships.

The foreign minister also proposed to explore ways to build new and innovative partnerships, particularly means to finance the SDGs through effective partnerships as stipulated under Goal 17.

The EU Ambassador Teerink referred to the European Investment Bank (EIB), which is already financing a good number of projects in energy transmission, wastewater management and climate change mitigation.

She also spoke about the need for a better ‘business climate’ for enhanced European investments in Bangladesh.

Momen urged the European Union to do more so that the Rohingyas could go back to their ancestral homeland in safety and dignity.

The ambassador reiterated the EU’s full support for the Ronhingya crisis and commended Bangladesh’s significant contribution in sheltering such a large number of people which affected the local communities and environment.

She expressed happiness at the “extremely valuable and successful” cooperation between Bangladesh and EU in the area of migration.