In an unprecedented move, diplomats from all 27 European Union (EU) member states, including those stationed in Dhaka and New Delhi, and the EU ambassador to Bangladesh will meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on December 9 to explore new areas of collaboration.
The announcement was made by Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, director general of the Public Diplomacy Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the ministry’s weekly briefing this afternoon (5 December).
“This will be a unique opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues, including enhanced cooperation in economic sectors, the Rohingya crisis, post-LDC Generalized Scheme of Preferences plus (GSP+) facilities, and a potential Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Bangladesh,” he said.
The EU trade relationship with Bangladesh has been anchored in the Everything But Arms (EBA) initiative, granting duty-free, quota-free market access to the least developed countries (LDCs) since 2001.
The upcoming dialogue will aim to chart the course for continued trade and economic collaboration as Bangladesh transitions out of the LDC category, Rafiqul said.
This is the first time that ambassadors from all 27 EU countries will convene for a joint meeting with the Bangladeshi government, signalling their collective commitment to deepening ties, foreign ministry sources said.
Currently, ambassadors of seven EU states are based in Dhaka, while the remaining 20 operate from New Delhi.
The meeting is seen as a strong signal of EU support for Bangladesh and an effort to foster high-level cooperation across a range of strategic areas.
