DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked to build strong partnership between the Asian and European countries in business and technological sectors because that would help in building a sustainable relationship between the two continents and its people.

The Bangladesh premier made the call while addressing the plenary session titled ‘Asia Partnership in Addressing Global Matters in an Inter-connected World’ in the 10th ASEM (Asia–Europe Meeting) summit in Milan of Italy on Thursday (Italian time).

She also said that the ruling Awami League government has taken a visionary initiative to make the country as middle-income country within 2021 and a developed country by 2041.

Hasina said there is a strong historic link between Asia and Europe based on people-to-people contact, cultural and educational exchange and social interactions and migration.

“These are instrumental to building and fostering Asia Europe connectivity,” she added.

The premier also called the ASEM leaders to pledge about building the stronger partnership between the two continents.

Sheikh Hasina also said, “Climate change, migration, terrorism, maritime affairs, disaster risk reduction and management, social and cultural exchanges between Asian and European countries are important for greater trade arrangements.

Indicating that the European Union is now Bangladesh’s largest export destination, she said many Asian countries are negotiating with the EU for greater trade arrangements.

She said, “The more favourable trade regime, the more convenient technical cooperation, the more vibrant people-to-people contact will translate Asia-Europe Connectivity a reality.”

She also urged the world leaders to make poverty eradication and right to education as the focal point of Post-2015 Development Agenda.

“Our experience with MDGs attests that mobilization of adequate resources would be the key to the success of the Post-2015 Agenda,” she added.

Hasina also said Bangladesh has taken some massive infrastructure and connectivity projects for promoting regional connectivity.

Special economic zones are being developed across the country, particularly to allow potential investors to invest in Bangladesh, especially in the context of its growing integration into the regional connectivity framework, she added.

“I’ve seen high hopes among our people in strengthening Asia-Europe connectivity. Asia-Europe economic interdependence has been growing,” she added.

She also said with more than two trillion US dollars of Asia-Europe trade, Asia is Europe’s main trading partner; more than one-fourth of Europe’s overseas investment is coming to Asia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also said Bangladesh needs additional climate fund, access to locally-adaptable technologies, and support for capacity and institution building as its 30 million people might have to move elsewhere as ‘climate migrants’.

“Despite being a low-income country, Bangladesh has allocated 385 million US dollars from its own resources for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change. We require adequate additional climate finance; access to locally-adaptable technologies; and support to capacity and institution building,” she said.

Mentioning that Bangladesh has successfully achieved or on the right track in achieving the targets of MDG-1 to MDG-6, the premier said the rate of poverty has come down to 25 percent from 57 percent in 1991.

The government has ensured 100 percent enrollment of children in primary education and maintained gender parity up to the secondary level, 93 percent of people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

She also highlighted the achievements of the country in ICT sector.

BDST: 1713 HRS, OCT 17, 2014