France President Macron to arrive in Bangladesh 10 September

France President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Dhaka on 10 September which is being seen as an “opportunity to deepen” the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and France.

The French government confirmed the visit on Monday describing Bangladesh as a country that is experiencing “rapid economic growth and seeking to diversify” its partnerships.

“Bangladesh and France also show great convergence in the face of global challenges, particularly within the framework of the Paris Agenda for Peoples and the Planet, which Bangladesh actively supports,” the announcement reads.

Since the country is particularly vulnerable to climate change, the president will recall France’s determination to stand by Bangladesh on its humanitarian front, in particular in the face of regular floods, it added.

The announcement further said Bangladesh is an important contributor to international solidarity actions, whether through its contingents in peacekeeping operations or in hosting Rohingya refugees.

In Bangladesh, Macron will continue the concrete declination of the French strategy in the Indo-Pacific, after welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Paris this summer and visiting Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Sri Lanka.

Macron will go to New Delhi to take part in the G20 Summit, scheduled to be held on 9-10 September. From there he will arrive in Dhaka on 10 September for the bilateral visit.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh and France would discuss ways to enhance trade and investment between the two countries apart from discussing issues like climate change and regulated migration during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.

Macron will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Women empowerment, enhancing trade and commerce and regulated migration – these are normal issues. Climate change is a big issue. The President of France has taken a leadership role,” Momen said, adding that Bangladesh will raise the loss and damage issue and its making functional of its relevant fund in a big way.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited France in November, 2021at the invitation of Emmanuel Macron.

Apart from holding bilateral talks with Sheikh Hasina, Macron will visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in city’s Dhanmondi to pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.