Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service Enrique Mora says Bangladesh has grown economically in a “very impressive way” and the European Union (EU) wants to work together with this “important actor” to enhance the level and quality of bilateral relations.
“It’s (Bangladesh) now an actor that we want to work with more comprehensively,” he told UNB in an interview highlighting how the two sides can cooperate in the areas of maritime security, counterterrorism, cyber security; and food and energy security.
Mora, who left Dhaka on Friday after holding the first “political dialogue” between Bangladesh and the EU, said they have a scheme for maritime security and expect that they can work together with Bangladesh on that particular area.
"For us it is an important interest. I think it is also a key interest for Bangladesh,” he said emphasizing better understanding to each other for better cooperation.
At the political dialogue, partnering on maritime security was considered with specific focus on Bangladesh engaging in EU’s Critical Maritime Routes in the Indian Ocean II (CRIMARIO II) initiative.
The need for a comprehensive, cross-sectoral and coherent approach to maritime security was also emphasized at the dialogue co-chaired by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Deputy Secretary General Mora on Thursday night.
It was envisaged that future cooperation would include information sharing mechanisms to counter non-traditional maritime threats.
Bangladesh seeks EU’s special attention to harness the benefits of the blue economy and to enhance capability of marine law enforcing agencies to better address Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
