Secretary of Bangladesh government’s Economic Relations Division (ERD) Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky met Nicola Beer, vice-president of European Investment Bank (EIB) at the EIB Headquarters in Luxembourg on Wednesday.
The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere with both sides discussing the ongoing and possible future investments by EIB in Bangladesh.
Vice-President Nicola welcomed Secretary Siddiky and his delegation to the EIB Headquarters and commended the impressive sociology-economic development of Bangladesh under the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, read a press release.
She recalled her meeting with the prime minister of Bangladesh during the EU’s first Global Gateway Forum in Brussels in October 2023 when she was vice-president of the European Parliament.
Nicola said Bangladesh is one of the biggest partners of EIB’s loan and grant programme along the European Commission including through the Global Gateway Initiative. During the meeting, Secretary Siddiky thanked the EIB for its steadily growing support to Bangladesh in its developmental journey.
He expressed the willingness of the Bangladesh government to further expand its partnership with EIB and requested its support particularly in the areas of climate change, renewable energy, health including vaccine research and development, agriculture, sustainable infrastructures including railways, leather industry and others.
Nicola responded positively and said EIB is also eager to be a stronger partner of Bangladesh in its development initiatives including a smooth transition of the country’s LDC graduation in 2026.
The discussion also included the issues of possible framework agreements, providing technical assistance to the Bangladesh government, and launching periodic institutional consultations between the two sides.
Siddiky invited Nicola to visit Bangladesh at her earliest convenience. Nicola said she is looking forward to visiting Bangladesh very soon.
Secretary Siddiky was accompanied by Additional Secretary of ERD Uttam Kumar Karmaker, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union Mahbub Hassan Saleh, Counsellor Md Rejaul Islam, and First Secretary of Embassy of Bangladesh in Brussels Md Alamgir Hossain.
Vice-President Nicola Beer was accompanied by Head of Vice-President’s Office Nicole Birtsch, Investment Officer Katrin Bock, and Loan Officer of European Investment Bank Arundhati Pal.
