DHAKA, Aug 31, 2023 (BSS) - Two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on energy and health are likely to be signed during the visit of President Mohammed Shahabuddin to Indonesia next week.
 
"Apart from discussions on bilateral cooperation on different sectors, two MoUs on energy and health collaboration between Bangladesh and Indonesia are likely to be signed during the visit," foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters at a briefing held at the foreign ministry here.
 
President Shahabuddin is scheduled to visit Indonesia to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit to be held in Jakarta from September 5-7.
 
The foreign minister said Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has invited Bangladesh as chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

During the visit, a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and Indonesia presidents would be held, said the foreign minister, adding that the theme of the 43rd ASEAN Summit is "Asean Matters: Epicentrum of Growth".
Momen said that President Shahabuddin would also attend the 18th East Asia Summit on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.

President Shahabuddin will deliver the concluding speech on "Strengthening Regional Architecture to Support the Epicentrum of Growth from the Perspective of IORA" as the "Guest of Chair" at the 18th East Asia Summit.

Noted Autism and mental health expert Saima Wazed Hossain and Foreign Minister Dr Momen will accompany the president during the visit.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo will chair 12 meetings during the 43rd ASEAN Summit.

Bangladesh applied to become a "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" of ASEAN to establish institutional relations with this South Asian regional platform.

The ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is an intergovernmental organization of ten Southeast Asian countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.