28 EU envoys to hold talks with Yunus December 9

Diplomats from 28 European countries, including 20 stationed in New Delhi and the rest in Dhaka, will meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on December 9 to explore new areas of cooperation with Bangladesh.

This is the first time ever 28 ambassadors from the European Union will come together to discuss bilateral issues with Bangladesh.

“Both sides will explore new areas of cooperation, how to address the Rohingya crisis, climate change, GSP+ facilities in the post-LDC era and how to take forward the comprehensive partnership with Bangladesh,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson and Director General (Public Diplomacy Wing) Md Rafiqul Alam said at the weekly briefing at the ministry yesterday.

The EU is the largest single trading bloc for Bangladesh that exports worth about €25 billion annually.

The EU’s trade relations with Bangladesh are based on unilateral trade preferences granted by the EU since 2001 under the GSP Everything but Arms (EBA) duty-free, quota-free market access arrangement for the LDCs.

Bangladesh will not enjoy the EU GSP facility after its LDC graduation. However, it can be entitled to GSP+, another scheme that can offer trade benefits, provided that Bangladesh meets stringent conditions including ones on human rights, democracy, environment, freedom of expression, labour rights, etc.

Bangladesh is also a member of the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative, under which the country can avail development funding for infrastructure and green technologies.

The EU and Bangladesh also signed a deal named Talent Partnership, and this year the two sides began a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement.

Once signed, this will take the relationship between Bangladesh and the EU to the strategic level. This means that apart from trade and development they will also work together on global and regional issues.

FOC ON DEC 9

Rafiqul Alam said the foreign office consultation (FOC), the secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and India, will take place in Dhaka on December 9.

“This meeting discusses all the aspects of the bilateral relationships, but the final agenda is still being prepared,” he said.

However, broadly, some issues, including water, trade, border, and connectivity will be included in the agenda, he said.

Asked if the bilateral deals signed so far with India will be reviewed, as was said by Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Rafiqul said those will be considered but will take time.

Bangladesh-India relations have remained strained since the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5.

As the Indian High Commission has restricted visas since the political changeover, many Bangladeshi students seeking European visas are failing to be physically present in New Delhi for appointments.

Rafiqul said despite efforts made through its New Delhi mission, Dhaka has been unable to facilitate those in need of visa appointments for Greece, Finland, Austria, and Portugal outside of India.

However, Bulgaria and Romania have agreed to arrange visa appointments for Bangladeshi students from their missions in Vietnam and Indonesia.

In response to a question, Rafiqul said Bangladesh will not likely be affected by the change in the US administration.

“We work with both the Democrats and Republicans. Their foreign policy does not change with the change in administration.”