Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday called on the World Economic Forum (WEF) to undertake coordinated steps to support delta nations such as Bangladesh and other countries vulnerable to rising sea levels and climate-related risks.
He made the call during a courtesy meeting with WEF President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alois Zwinggi in Dalian, China.
The meeting took place at 5:00pm local time on the sidelines of the WEF's annual gathering in Dalian.
At the beginning of the meeting, Alois Zwinggi congratulated Tarique Rahman on assuming office as the head of government of Bangladesh.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister praised the WEF's various initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.
Highlighting Bangladesh's environmental commitments, he said the country has launched an initiative to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years.
Tarique Rahman also outlined plans to restore water flow, reduce flood risks, and protect the environment through the re-excavation of nearly 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals.
He further noted that Bangladesh has introduced tax incentives to encourage solar power generation and has set a target of producing 20 percent of its total electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
Alois Zwinggi expressed interest in utilising Tarique Rahman's experience and initiatives in climate action at the global level.
He said Bangladesh's efforts in climate resilience and sustainable development are likely to attract the attention of international financing institutions and investors.
The WEF chief assured that the issues raised by Bangladesh will be given due consideration and reiterated the forum's commitment to continuing its support and cooperation.
He also invited the Prime Minister to participate in the WEF's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, and Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon were present at the meeting.
The Prime Minister arrived in the Chinese port city of Dalian on Monday night from Malaysia on a four-day official visit to China.
He is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will remain busy with a series of engagements in Dalian over the next two days.
During his stay in Dalian, he is attending the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum, widely known as the Summer Davos, which will be held from June 23 to 25 in Liaoning Province.
This evening, the Prime Minister will attend a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
On June 24, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan in the morning. After taking part in additional engagements, he will depart Dalian for Beijing by train in the afternoon.
He will later travel to Beijing, where the main programmes of his official visit to China will take place.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese leaders. He will meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang on June 25 and Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 26.
He is expected to return home on the night of June 26, wrapping up his first official overseas tour since taking office.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
