Photo : Collected
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday (22 October) said PM Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to Brussels will help take Bangladesh's ties with the European Union (EU) to a new height.
"Bangladesh and the EU are expected to announce the elevation of their 50-year partnership to a new height," he said.
The foreign minister said this while attending a curtain raiser press briefing held at Foreign Ministry ahead of the Prime Minister's visit to Belgium on the occasion of "Global Gateway Forum" to be held in capital Brussels from October 25-26.
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the Forum in their meeting at the G20 Summit in India recently.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will have a number of meetings with leaders of European countries on the sidelines of the Forum, the foreign minister said.
In the morning on October 25, the Prime Minister is expected to meet the Executive Vice President of the European Commission and the European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.
Later, the Bangladesh premier will hold a bilateral meeting with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
After this bilateral meeting, a loan support agreement of 350 million Euros on the renewable energy sector will be signed between the Bangladesh government's Economic Relations Department (ERD) and European Investment Bank.
Besides, a grant agreement of 45 million Euros for Bangladesh's renewable energy sector will be signed between the European Commission and European Investment Bank. And a 12 million Euros grant agreement between the Bangladesh government and European Commission also to be signed for Bangladesh's renewable energy sector.
During this visit, the Bangladesh government and European Commission will sign five different grant agreements of 70 million Euros on Bangladesh's Social sectors.
On the same day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the Global Gateway Forum's opening Plenary Session and deliver her speech.
Messenger/Sun Yath
