DHAKA, Feb 2, 2024 (BSS) - Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today called for firm cooperation among the Indo-Pacific and European Union (EU) nations to combat climate change and ensuring environment friendly development through green transition.

 
He was addressing a round table on 'The Green Transition - Partnering for a Sustainable Future' at the 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Brussels, Belgium, an official press release said here.

Foreign Minister also shared Bangladesh's efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as green transition, including the government's increased emphasis on generating power from clean and renewable sources.

He also called for research, innovation and investment support to advance the use of environmentally friendly jute and green hydrogen.
 
Nearly hundred delegates from the 27 countries of the European Union and half a hundred countries in the Indo-Pacific region, spanning from the east and south coasts of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and Asia to the island states of the Pacific Ocean, are participating in the forum.

EU Executive Vice-President Maros Sefcovic and East Timor's Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas moderated the roundtable that was also addressed by Foreign Ministers of Vietnam and Spain.

On the sideline of the 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, Bangladesh Foreign minister also held separate bilateral meetings with his Belgian, Czech, Swedish, Vietnamese counterparts.

During the meeting with Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade Hadja Lahbib, Mahmud thanked her government to provide continuous support in the development journey of Bangladesh.

Lahbib expressed keen interest to further strengthen the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Belgium.

Vietnamese foreign minister Bui Thanh Son handed over Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's formal invitation to Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina for paying an official bilateral visit to Hanoi.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese foreign minister also invited Mahmud to visit Hanoi to further strengthen the 50 year-long friendly relations between Bangladesh and Vietnam.
 
During the separate meetings, Bangladesh foreign minister discussed on the way how to further expand trade and investment cooperation with all the four countries.

Noting that repartition of the forcefully displaced people to Rakhine is the only solution of the Rohingya crisis, Mahmud urged all the nations to mount pressure on Myanmar regarding the matter.
 
The foreign minister will return home on Sunday.