The European Union (EU) has said it looks forward to continuing their collaboration with Bangladesh and exploring new avenues to build partnership, including through a possible Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Bangladesh and the EU.
In a recent letter to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen conveyed the message.
The EU stands ready to support a reform process, which should be "peaceful and inclusive, respectful of democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law, and lead to transparent, inclusive and credible" elections, the letter shared by Chief Adviser's press wing reads.
The President of the European Commission warmly welcomed Dr Yunus' commitment to sustainable development, the green transition, the fight against corruption, and the advancement of digitalisation of financial systems.
The EU is already engaging in these issues with Bangladesh.
"We remain open to discussing specific needs with sectoral partners and considering additional support that aligns with ongoing initiatives," President von der Leyen said.
There is substantial potential under the Global Gateway For EU investments in secure and reliable networks and connectivity, including railways, water resources, climate adaptation, health, digital and energy, she said.
In parallel, President von der Leyen said they are working with Dr Yunus' administration to bolster the capacity of key institutions.
"We intend to maximise the impact of this work by integrating targeted technical assistance to support policy development and effective governance in these sectors, sharing EU experience where relevant," she said.
The President of the European Commission expressed her full commitment to ensure the smooth implementation of EU-Bangladesh cooperation.
The EU stands ready to establish regular coordination meetings to ensure a strategic dialogue to provide timely updates on EU programmes, thorough reviews of their support, and address new requests to reinforce their shared priorities and strengthen the partnership.
She also thanked Dr Yunus for his invitation to visit Bangladesh.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
