Outgoing Ambassador Charles Whiteley stresses partnership, highlights security and climate initiatives
Published : 11 Jun 2024, 01:18 AM
The outgoing European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh, Charles Whiteley, has emphasised the need for a shift in the mindset of foreigners when it comes to internal changes in Bangladesh.
"We are partners and foreigners. It is not our role to lecture or interfere [with internal affairs],” he said while talking to diplomatic correspondents in Dhaka on Monday.
The Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh or DCAB organised the event under its flagship ‘DCAB Talk’ at the National Press Club.
"Our responsibility is to engage, listen, and collaborate. This is the approach the European Union has endeavoured to follow," he added.
Highlighting Bangladesh's "positive desire" to align with various EU policies in its transition from a less developed to a developing country, Whiteley said that the developed world, including Europe, needs to "mentally adapt" to this change.
"Which means we don’t sit in judgment, we don’t lecture countries like Bangladesh, we work in genuine partnership with them as an emerging power and an emerging economic power," he said.
Acknowledging the hesitation among foreigners, Whiteley added, "Sometimes people are puzzled, they say ‘you should say this to Bangladesh, you should say that to Bangladesh.’ That’s not the right starting point.
"We discuss and address the difficulties and challenges together, like climate change, like various conflicts around the world, like digitalisation etc etc. That’s what the essence of a partnership is."
Whiteley, who has served as the Head of Missions of the European Union in Bangladesh since September 2021, is set to leave Dhaka in August.
During his tenure, the government faced criticism from various countries, including the United States, on issues related to elections and democracy.
The EU has also been active in making joint statements with other missions, including the US, on various issues such as the attack on Dhaka-17 bypoll candidate Ashraful Alom, popularly known as Hero Alom, on election day.
The EU observer team's report criticised the conditions surrounding the 12th national election, but the EU ambassador said that the EU is committed to strengthening its partnership with Bangladesh in various areas ‘looking forward.’
DEFENCE AND SECURITY COOPERATION
Ambassador Whiteley also expressed the European Union's interest in increasing cooperation with Bangladesh in the defence and security sectors.
“I think this is an area where we can learn from each other. Now, Bangladesh has spent several years tackling the threat of Islamist extremism, the threat of terrorism.
“We all know what happened eight years ago on Holey Artisan Bakery. And we've seen how Bangladesh has got to grips with this phenomenon, just as many countries around the world have had to try to get to grips with it," he said.
The ambassador highlighted the potential benefits of using CRIMARIO, software developed by the European Union for monitoring maritime security and crime, in Bangladesh.
"And I'm very happy that we're launching a climate change and security project. It is quite a small project. But it will bring together many key actors, including from the intelligence agencies and different agencies in Bangladesh, to talk about how you are coping with the potential security impact of climate change, and how all countries including Europe, can anticipate the threats that will come to their security from climate change," he added.
Whiteley also stressed the importance of protecting and respecting freedom of expression to combat rumours and disinformation on social media.
DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib and General Secretary Ashikur Rahman Apu also spoke at the event.