Diplomats from all 27 European Union (EU) member states, along with the EU ambassador to Bangladesh, will meet Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on December 9.

The announcement came from Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, Director General of the Public Diplomacy Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a weekly briefing.

He said: “This will be a unique opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues, including enhanced cooperation in economic sectors, the Rohingya crisis, post-LDC Generalized Scheme of Preferences plus (GSP+) facilities, and a potential Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Bangladesh.” 

The EU’s trade relationship with Bangladesh has been based on the Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative, which provides duty- and quota-free market access to least developed countries. 

The upcoming discussions will focus on sustaining this relationship as Bangladesh transitions out of the LDC category.

According to ministry sources, this marks the first joint meeting between ambassadors from all EU member states and the Bangladeshi government, highlighting the EU’s collective commitment to strengthening ties. While seven ambassadors are based in Dhaka, the other 20 operate from New Delhi.

The meeting signifies strong EU support for Bangladesh and aims to enhance strategic cooperation in economic and diplomatic domains.

BDST: 1845 HRS, DEC 05. 2024
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