World Bank can showcase Bangladesh's development as international success story: AK Momen
The minister held a meeting with Martin Raiser, vice-president of South Asia Region of the World Bank
The World Bank can showcase Bangladesh's socio-economic development as an international success story to mark the 50th anniversary of its partnership with Bangladesh, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.
The minister held a meeting with Martin Raiser, vice-president of South Asia Region of the World Bank, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
They discussed cooperation in the issues like sustainable development, climate change, renewable energy production, poverty alleviation, human resource development, etc.
Martin Raiser appreciated Bangladesh's achievements in sustainable development and reaffirmed World Bank's readiness to support the country make the next transition in its development journey.
The foreign minister invited the World Bank to invest further in climate-smart infrastructures, especially for widening and heightening embankments along the coastal belt.
He also shared his ideas about coastal forestation and renewable energy generation based on such embankments.
Martin Raiser flagged that 35% of the World Bank's current international development association contribution to Bangladesh maintains a focus on enhancing the country's resilience to climate change impacts.
He responded positively to the foreign minister's suggestion to explore possible partnership with the Global Hub for Locally-led Adaptation, recently launched under the aegis of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA)'s regional office based in Dhaka.
Raiser acknowledged the generosity of the government and people of Bangladesh in hosting the forcibly displaced Rohingya from Myanmar. He reiterated World Bank's interest in supporting improved living conditions and education of the Rohingya population pending their safe and dignified return to Myanmar.
Momen briefed him about the arrangements by the government in Bhashan Char for the relocated Rohingya, and suggested that World Bank look into possibilities for its engagements in the island.
The minister urged the World Bank to continue to work towards supporting the national efforts at poverty alleviation, with focus on reducing extreme poverty.
He suggested further scaling up the World Bank's work on human resource development while the World Bank vice-president referred to World Bank's signature contribution to primary and pre-school education in Bangladesh. The World Bank expressed particular interest in supporting integration of vocational training as part of formal education.
AK Momen underscored the need for the international community's support towards making Bangladesh's LDC graduation smooth and sustainable.
World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh Abdoulaye Seck was also present at the meeting.