German Commissioner for Indo-Pacific, South Asia and Afghanistan Ambassador Erik Kurzweil has assured partners in Bangladesh that Germany will continue to stand by their side and will look into opportunities to deepen exchanges on a sustainable transition.
The Commissioner of the German Federal Foreign Office paid an official visit from October 23 to 24 to gauge the opportunities to intensify cooperation and exchanges with Bangladesh.
In a meeting with the Additional Foreign Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Nazrul Islam, both sides exchange views on the situation in Bangladesh and the state of bilateral relations.
Ambassador Kurzweil was especially happy that both sides reiterated their shared interest in signing the bilateral Climate and Development Partnership before the end of this year.
Ambassador Kurzweil highlighted the upcoming graduation and stressed the necessary preparations to qualify for the EU’s GSP+ scheme.
In further meetings with politicians, students and civil society the Commissioner was provided with vivid accounts of the fight against the old government as well as the aspirations for a New Bangladesh.
Germany is the second biggest export market for Bangladesh with a heavy reliance on the RMG sector, according to the German Embassy in Dhaka.
At a roundtable hosted by the Embassy, the Commissioner and representatives of German companies in Bangladesh stressed the importance of reforms and reassuring international business partners.
