DHAKA, March 2, 2020 (BSS) – German ambassador here Peter Fahrenholtz today said that his country would remain committed to its future partnership with Bangladesh along with further deepening the bilateral relations.
“I can assure you that we’ll remain committed to our future partnership (with Bangladesh),” he said.
The ambassador said this while addressing the inaugural session of the Bangladesh-German Consultations 2020 held at the NEC-2 Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
Head of South Asia Division of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany Dr Ute Heinbuch spoke at the inaugural session of the consultations.
Besides, Head of Bangladesh Delegation and Wing Chief (Europe) of the ERD
Dr Gauranga Chandra Mohanta gave the welcome address on the occasion.
Turning to the Rohingya issue, Peter recalled the recent visit of Federal
German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Dr Gerd Muller on
Feb 25-26, saying Muller made it clear that Germany would stand beside the
government and the people of Bangladesh for facing the Rohingya crisis.
Peter said Germany supports Bangladesh in its call for solutions which has
to be found in the Myanmar side where the government of Myanmar has to create
the condition for safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas to
their home country.
“This is an important step forward by the international community in
dealing with the Rohingya crisis,” he said.
Referring to the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Peter said, “We’re all proud to be your
partner and we’re looking forward to commonly working for achieving ever
higher levels of development.”
He said since Bangladesh is now in the process of graduating from the LDC
status, the economic growth of the country has to continue in the context of
SDGs.
Mentioning that the RMG sector had been the backbone and the engine of
growth for Bangladesh, the German ambassador said from the ongoing dialogue
on GSP trade regime between Bangladesh the European Union, there is a good
chance for the country to achieve the GSP plus facility.
He said the diversification of Bangladesh economy is of crucial importance
while efforts are on to realize this.
Lauding highly the socio-economic Development of Bangladesh over the last
decade, Peter said poverty has come down to 20 percent while the extreme
poverty is in the single digit range. “This is really a remarkable
achievement. Education, health services and energy are being provided to
almost everyone,” he said.
The ambassador said Bangladesh has now become the 38th largest economy of
the world having the highest growth rate in Asia and soon it will move
further.
ERD Additional Secretary and Wing Chief (Europe) Df Gauranga said Germany
provides technical and financial assistance to Bangladesh and currently some
17 projects are going on with German assistance.
He said in the consultations, Germany would put emphasis on a wide range
of areas including energy, renewable energy and poverty reduction.
The Bangladesh-German Consultations are discussing issues like renewable
energy and energy efficiency, justice reform and human rights, adaptation to
climate change in urban areas, biodiversity, social and environmental
standards in the textile sector, Rohingya crisis in Cox’s Bazar district
‘Supporting Host and Rohingya Communities’.
After the day-long consultations, both sides are expected to sign a joint
statement.
Concerned Bangladesh government officials from the Ministry of Power,
Energy and Mineral Resources, Home Affairs, Law, Justice and Parliamentary
Affairs, Anti-Corruption Commission, Ministry of Commerce, BEZA, Ministry of
Labour and Employment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Ministry
of LGRD, Bangladesh Bank, Ministry of Social Welfare, Planning Commission,
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Industries,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief
are attending the consultations.