French President Macron to arrive on 10 September to 'deepen' ties with Bangladesh

President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Dhaka on 10 September which is being seen as an "opportunity to deepen" the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and France.

The French government confirmed the visit on Monday describing Bangladesh as a country that is experiencing "rapid economic growth and seeking to diversify" its partnerships.

"Bangladesh and France also show great convergence in the face of global challenges, particularly within the framework of the Paris Agenda for Peoples and the Planet, which Bangladesh actively supports," reads the announcement.

Since the country is particularly vulnerable to climate change, the President will recall France's determination to stand by Bangladesh on its humanitarian front, in particular in the face of regular floods.

Bangladesh is also an important contributor to international solidarity actions, whether through its contingents in peacekeeping operations or in hosting Rohingya refugees.

In Bangladesh, the President of the French Republic will continue the concrete declination of the French strategy in the Indo-Pacific, after welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Paris this summer and visiting Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Sri Lanka.

The President of the French Republic will go to New Delhi to take part in the G20 Summit, on 9-10 September.

He will then come to Dhaka on September 10 for the bilateral visit.

The G20 Summit will allow the President of the French Republic to maintain the constant dialogue with his counterparts from all continents in order to fight against the risks of partitioning of the world.

It will also be a matter of advancing in the implementation of joint responses to the major global challenges. This can only be tackled effectively through multilateral action: peace and stability, the fight against poverty, climate and planet preservation, food security and digital regulation.

The G20 will also be an opportunity to follow up on the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact held in Paris last June.

This Summit allowed to establish the Paris Agenda for Peoples and the Planet, offering a framework for collective action to ensure that no country has to choose between the fight against poverty and the planet protection.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said Bangladesh and France would discuss ways to enhance trade and investment between the two countries apart from discussing issues like climate change and regulated migration during President Emmanuel Macron's visit.

The president will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Women empowerment, enhancing trade and commerce and regulated migration – these are normal issues. Climate change is a big issue. The President of France has taken a leadership role," Momen said, adding that Bangladesh will raise the loss and damage issue and its making functional of its relevant fund in a big way. 

At the invitation of the President of the French Republic, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited France in November 2021.

Apart from holding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the French President will visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in city's Dhanmondi to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

The two leaders are scheduled to attend G20 Summit in New Delhi on 9-10 September.

France and Bangladesh welcomed the growth of their friendship, and highlighted their shared will to develop and deepen all aspects of their partnership through regular political consultations for strategic guidance.

Both countries reiterated their determination to enhance cooperation in all areas, including politics and diplomacy, defence and security, trade and investment, sustainable development and climate change, and education and cultural exchange.

Both countries also recognized the importance of sustained and substantive cooperation in relevant regional and multilateral fora.

Bangladesh and France stated their will to further develop the defence and security component of their partnership.

To that end, both countries agreed to strengthen dialogue and continue their cooperation, in particular the area of training, which was launched during this visit.

Furthermore, they committed to stepping up cooperation in the area of defence equipment based on the needs expressed and each party's ability to respond to them, including through capacity building and potential technology transfer. In this regard, both parties welcomed the signing a Letter of intent on defence cooperation.

France and Bangladesh shared the same vision for a free, open, peaceful, secure and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, based on international law and with shared prosperity for all.