Bangladesh, UAE agree to expand bilateral cooperation

 Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali MP and the State Minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi held a bilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi while they reaffirmed their commitment to fostering deeper economic collaboration between the two nations. The meeting underscored the shared aspirations of both countries to bolster trade, investment and development cooperation for mutual prosperity. They stressed on exploring new and emerging areas of collaboration including energy security with particular focus on renewable energy, management of sea ports, aviation, construction of infrastructure, artificial intelligence and other new technologies.

 Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali emphasized on elevating the bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive economic partnership, according to a press release issued by Finance Ministry of Bangladesh government on Tuesday.  Both the ministers stressed on the need to activate the Joint Business Council and concluding the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in near future while both the countries are celebrating 50 years of establishment of their mutual diplomatic relations. A high level delegation from the UAE side is expected to visit Bangladesh in the coming months to explore the investment opportunities in Bangladesh and to identify new areas of engagement for mutual benefit.

Bangladesh side also requested the UAE authorities for increased financing by ADFD (Abu Dhabi Fund for Development) and other UAE financial institutions. In addition to bilateral matters, the ministers also deliberated on regional and global economic challenges, affirming their commitment to multilateral cooperation and coordination to address shared concerns and promote sustainable development. Ambassador of Bangladesh to the UAE Abu Zafar and Additional Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD) Anwar Hossain accompanied the Finance Minister during the meeting while the UAE State Minister was assisted by senior officials of his ministry.

It may be noted that the Bangladesh Finance Minister is on a 3-day official visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the invitation of the UAE government to attend the 13th AIM (Annual Investment Meeting) Congress-2024 scheduled in Abu Dhabi from 7-9 May 2024 with the theme "Adapting to a Shifting Investment Landscape: Harnessing New Potential for Global Economic Development". This morning Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali attended the opening ceremony of the Congress and few other sessions.

AIM Congress is an Initiative of the AIM Global Foundation, an Independent International Organization fully committed to empower the world's economy by boosting effective Promotion Strategies and facilitating opportunities for economic productivity and expansion. More than 10 thousand participants from 175 countries including ministers, industry leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs and experts from around the world are gathering here to explore innovative strategies and opportunities for economic growth and prosperity.