Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said the collective market of ASEAN holds significant promise for Bangladesh’s economic growth.
“We are eager to explore opportunities for increased collaboration in sectors such as textile, pharmaceuticals, information technology, agriculture, blue economy, and renewable energy,” he said, adding that another area of mutual interest is the promotion of peace and stability in the region.
The foreign minister was speaking as the chief guest at a function celebrating 56th ASEAN Day at the Royal Thai Embassy in Dhaka.
Bangladesh, as Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), has been invited to the upcoming 43rd ASEAN Summit and related Summits in September 2023.
Bangladesh will witness the signing of the agreement between ASEAN and IORA and serve as Guest of the 18th East Asia Summit Chair.
A moment of silence was also observed during the ceremony in recognition of the dark chapter in Bangladesh’s history, as it observes National Month of Mourning.
Momen said Bangladesh highly values the ASEAN community and the constructive role it plays in the global arena.
He emphasized the immense potential for cooperation between Bangladesh and ASEAN. “We recognize the importance of strengthening ties in trade, investment, technology, and human capital development.”
The foreign minister said that Bangladesh commends ASEAN’s commitment to resolve disputes through peaceful means and inclusive dialogue.
Bangladesh firmly believes that peaceful resolution of conflicts is the key to fostering greater understanding and cooperation between nations, Momen said.
“As we celebrate the ASEAN Day, let us renew our determination and redouble our collective efforts to build bridges of understanding and cooperation, fostering an environment where peace and progress can thrive,” he said.
“Together, we can create a brighter and more prosperous future for our people and the generations to come,” he added.
Momen said Bangladesh’s peace-centric foreign policy – centered on the Father of the Nation’s dictum “Friendship to all, malice toward none” – promotes principles of non-alignment.
He said this is been aptly reflected in Bangladesh’s recently announced Indo-Pacific Outlook.
Bangladesh is willing to become a Sectorial Dialogue Partner (SDP) of ASEAN to deepen its relations with member states and their people, Momen said.
He said the presence of Bangladesh in the ASEAN is expected to forge synergistic partnership towards mutual benefits.
“I spoke about the vast potentials and sentiments between ASEAN and Bangladesh during my interactions with ASEAN leaders and its secretary general, drawing their appreciation, while attending the recently held 30th ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta,” he said.
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Foreign Minister Momen presented the keynote address at the ceremony while Ambassador of the Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Dhaka Committee (ADC) Leo Tito L. Ausan, Jr. as well as the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Heru Hartanto Subolo made remarks.
Haji Haris Haji Othman, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam;, Heru Hartanto Subolo, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia;, Haznah Md Hashim, High Commissioner of Malaysia;, Than Tung Aung, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar;, Leo Tito L. Ausan, Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines;, Sheela Pillai, Head of Mission of the Singapore Consulate;, Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand;, Nguyen Phuong Thuy, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Foreign Ministry officials, Ambassadors of ASEAN Dialogue partners, and other diplomats of ASEAN member states were present.
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US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Mantytskiy and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, among others, were also present at the event.
During the brief programme, the ASEAN norms of dialogue, consultation, cooperation, and the ASEAN way of doing things were highlighted as key factors that underpin peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
Philippine Ambassador Leo Tito Ausan, Jr., current ADC Chair, affirmed ADC’s commitment to continue to engage its partners and stakeholders in Bangladesh and in the South Asian region in discussions and activities in pursuit of the realization of mutually shared goals of peace and prosperity.
Indonesian Ambassador Heru Hartantu Subolo, shared key outputs of ASEAN under Indonesia’s Chairmanship specific to this year’s theme, “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.”
