Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will speak on the Rohingya crisis, climate change, regional security, labour market and investment in the power sector during her first visit to Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after coming to power.
Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said the Prime Minister, along with her entourage, would leave for Munich, Germany, on February 14 to attend the 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2019 from February 15-17.
The minister said she would place the Rohingya issue and regional security matters before world leaders at different sessions of the MSC. Abdul Momen unveiled details of the Prime Minister’s visit at a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital yesterday (Wednesday).
He said Sheikh Hasina will take part as a panelist at two sessions of the MSC—"Climate Change As a Security Threat" and "Health Security Roundtable". Besides the conventional security issues, the MSC. which started its journey in 1963, would discuss food, water, health, environmental security, refugees and migration.
The Prime Minister would place the achievements and success of Bangladesh in various fields, including climate change, at the MSC, he added. Hasina will also have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the MSC with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on various issues of mutual interest, including areas of trade and business.
The Prime Minister will have separate meetings with Global President and CEO of Siemens AG and CEO of Veridos GmbH, which is implementing the e-passport project in Bangladesh. The minister also mentioned that a joint development agreement might be signed with Siemens, which proposed investment in the power sector in Bangladesh.
About the UAE visit, the foreign minister said Sheikh Hasina will pay a visit to the UAE to attend the International Defence Exhibition and Conference 2019, to be held in Abu Dhabi from February 17-19. She will have bilateral meetings with the UAE’s deputy president, Prime Minister, defence minister and the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktum, and discuss various issues, including the labour market for Bangladesh, the minister added.
Sheikh Hasina is also expected to have a meeting with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE’s armed forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. The visit to the UAE would be to explore new areas of cooperation between the two countries to consolidate relations.
The minister said two MoUs are expected to be signed in the UAE. The first one would be inked between the private office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum and the Bangladesh Power Development Board for undertaking projects on the development of liquefied natural gas terminal, power plant and any other projects of mutual interest. The second one will be between the private office of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) for setting up a Special Economic Zone on 300 acres at Matarbari. The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home on February 20.
PM, Navy chief, PSO to attend defence conference in UAE
Adds Our Special Correspondent, along with 172 military delegations from various countries, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury, and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, Lieutenant General Md Mahfuzur Rahman, will attend the International Defence Conference (IDEX-2019) at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The five-day IDEX will begin at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on February 17, where 1,235 international and regional defence equipment companies from 57 countries would be present.
At a press briefing yesterday (Wednesday), foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said the Prime Minister will visit Abu Dhabi form February 17-19 to attend the 14th International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019). “Sheikh Hasina will hold bilateral talks with UAE leaders on defence cooperation,” he added.
Military sources said a high-power naval delegation, led by Vice Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury, will leave for the UAE on February 15. During his visit, he will hold talks with senior officers in the UAE's armed forces, the sources said.
According to the sources, Lieutenant General Md Mahfuzur Rahman left for the UAE on Tuesday to attend IDEX.
IDEX is the international defence exhibition and conference in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, demonstrating the latest technology across land, sea and air sectors of defence.
It is a unique platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses and armed forces throughout the region. The participating countries will stage live demonstration on land, water and air during the defence conference.