Bangladesh eyes enhanced diplomatic, economic ties with Africa
Foreign secretary holds virtual meeting with Bangladesh envoys in the continent
In a strategic effort to strengthen Bangladesh's diplomatic engagement and expand bilateral cooperation in Africa, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin held a virtual meeting with Bangladesh Ambassadors and High Commissioners serving across the African continent.
During the meeting held on Thursday (14 November), the foreign secretary highlighted the growing significance of Africa in Bangladesh's foreign policy and emphasized the importance of exploring potentials in Africa's emerging markets and vast natural resources to promote economic, trade and investment opportunities for Bangladesh.
Among others, a key focus of the discussions was agricultural cooperation, particularly in the area of contract farming.
The foreign secretary underscored the potential for Bangladesh to engage in mutually beneficial agricultural initiatives with African nations.
He urged the ambassadors and high commissioners to explore opportunities for collaboration in this sector.
He called upon the heads of missions to explore new avenues of cooperation with their host countries. He also asked the Heads of Mission to give utmost priority in providing consular services to the expatriate Bangladeshi.
The heads of missions shared updates on their ongoing initiatives and challenges, providing insights into their host countries' priorities for collaboration with Bangladesh.
The meeting was attended by Additional Foreign Secretary and Inspector General of Missions Dr Md. Nazrul Islam, Director General (Africa) B M Jamal Hossain, Director General (Administration) Mohammad Nazmul Haque. Heads of Bangladesh missions in Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa attended the meeting on virtual platform.