Bangladesh, Italy agree to further strengthen bilateral relations

Bangladesh and Italy agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations, at the Second Political Consultations held in Dhaka Monday.

The first-ever Bangladesh-Italy Political Consultations started on 7 June last year in Rome through the signing of the MoU on Political Consultations. The holding of the second round of political consultations exactly after one year bears the testament to the robust partnership between the two countries.

The Bangladesh delegation at the consultations was led by foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen, while the Italian delegation was led by Riccardo Guariglia, secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.

Ambassador of Italy to Bangladesh, Antonio Alessandro and representatives from various Ministries of the Government of Bangladesh also joined the Consultations.

During the Consultations, both Bangladesh and Italy acknowledged that the meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Giorgia Meloni on 25 July 2023 in Rome has further strengthened the robust bilateral relations between the two countries.

They also expressed satisfaction over the transformation of this relationship towards a broad-based partnership with strategic elements.

The two sides affirmed their commitment to extending cooperation in the areas of political and cultural relations, economic relations, trade and investment, defence and security, ICT and cybersecurity, green transition and renewable energy, mobility and migration.

They stressed curbing irregular migration and promoting legal pathways for skills mobility from Bangladesh to Italy, as well as cooperation in the UN and in the Indo-Pacific.

They also shared views on various regional and international issues, including the Rohingya crisis, prevention of violent extremism, climate change and food security, situations in Myanmar and Afghanistan, and wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Prior to the Political Consultations, secretary general of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation paid a courtesy call on foreign minister Hasan Mahmud at his office, where they discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation through the exchange of high-level visits, trade and investment, AI and ICT, green growth, skills mobility, higher education, and culture.