Form a coalition for mutual benefit

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has proposed that developing countries like Brazil, Bangladesh and other like-minded southern countries can form an organisation to better manage the supply chain and information sharing, and ensure shared economic development.

He floated the idea when the new Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh Paulo Fernando Dias Feres called on the minister at the foreign ministry yesterday.

Momen said at present, developing countries do not have any effective international forum for greater cooperation. But such an arrangement is essential, given the changing global scenario, especially after the pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, which severely disrupted the global supply chain.

Ambassador Feres expressed his country’s keen interest to work with Bangladesh closely on the issues of mutual benefit.

The minister congratulated the newly elected President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for his remarkable victory and said Bangladesh looks forward to working with the new administration to further strengthen political and trade relations.

Momen said Bangladesh and Brazil have so many similarities but the trade volume needs to grow further. He welcomed Brazilian investors to invest in the energy, infrastructure and ICT sectors in Bangladesh.

He also highlighted Bangladesh’s interest in importing sugar, soybean oil and cattle from Brazil and hoped that Brazil would facilitate Bangladesh’s initiative to have a preferential trade agreement with the Southern Common Market of South America.

Momen invited President Lula da Silva to visit Bangladesh next year at a mutually convenient time.