Bangladesh, Cambodia agree to share strategies to implement SDGs
Both parties comprehensively discussed the present state of bilateral relations covering wide areas
Bangladesh and Cambodia have agreed to expand trade and investment and share each other's practices and strategies in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A Joint Commission meeting between the two countries was held in the capital on Thursday - first of its kind.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam led an 18 member Bangladesh delegation at the meeting.
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Secretary of state of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Eat Sophea led the 27-member Cambodian delegation.
A memorandum of understanding for establishing the Joint Commission framework was signed in Dhaka in June 2014 during the visit of the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Both parties on Thursday comprehensively discussed the present state of bilateral relations covering areas such as trade and investment, agriculture and fisheries, science and technology, culture, defence, ICT, tourism, and parliamentary friendship.
They agreed that the Technical Working Group Meeting on training cooperation will be held in Dhaka soon.
Both sides decided to convene the first meeting of the Joint Working Group in Cambodia soon, to implement the MoU on tourism.
The two countries underscored the importance of direct air connectivity, and stressed the need for early signing of the Air Services Agreement.
Moreover, Bangladesh handed over to the Cambodian side a three-year Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) to celebrate Mujib Year jointly in both countries.
It was agreed that the Liberation War Museum of Bangladesh and the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum of Cambodia would share best practices through arrangement of joint seminars and sharing of best practices.
Both sides welcomed the finalisation of the proposed MoU on Defence Cooperation under which members of the armed forces of both countries would take part in various training and capacity building programmes in both countries.
It was also agreed that parliamentarians of both countries would participate in exchange programmes under the framework of the Bangladesh-Cambodia Parliamentary Friendship Group.
At the meeting, Bangladesh also sought Cambodia's support on the Rohingya repatriation issue.
The Cambodian side greatly appreciated the Bangladesh government's response by providing shelter to the persecuted people from Rakhine State. It also gave an assurance that it will support the repatriation process within the framework of ASEAN.
An MoU on establishing Foreign Office Consultations was also signed at the meeting.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh ambassador to Thailand concurrently accredited to Cambodia Md Nazmul Quaunine, and the Cambodian ambassador to India concurrently accredited to Bangladesh UNG Sean also attended the JC meeting.
