DHAKA: Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali will lead a three-member delegation to the ministerial component of the ‘White House Countering Violent Extremism Summit’ scheduled for February 19 at the US Department of State in Washington DC.

The minister will leave Dhaka on Tuesday to make his first official visit to the USA after taking office.

He will visit the country following the invitation of the US Secretary of State John Kerry.

However, the summit will host UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, ministers and high officials from more than fifty countries, and private sector and civil society representatives, said a press release on Monday.

The main objective of the summit is to share ideas and experiences among cross-sections of actors around the globe towards developing a shared understanding on countering violent extremism.

Besides the summit, a bilateral meeting between Mahmood and Kerry is expected to take place on 19 February.

The entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues is expected to be discussed in the meeting.

Moreover, foreign secretary Mohammad Shahidul Haque will accompany the minister to both the ministerial summit and the bilateral meeting.

BDST: 1633 HRS, FEB 16, 2015