Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil. Photo: Collected
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Brazil has already reached nearly US$4 billion. However, policymakers in both countries believe that the size of the current trade relationship is still much less than the huge economic potential of the two countries.
To further increase this trade, they have placed special emphasis on reducing the dependence on third-country intermediaries or middlemen, introducing direct shipping systems, increasing investment and strengthening business contacts.
Top advisors from the two countries expressed this interest in a high-level bilateral meeting held at the traditional Palacio do Planalto in the Brazilian capital Brasilia on Friday (May 15) local time.
In this important meeting, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Humayun Kabir and Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil Celso Amorim led their respective countries. In the meeting, Bangladeshi advisor Humayun Kabir said that the economies of Bangladesh and Brazil can complement each other.
Bangladesh currently imports a large amount of cotton, soybeans, sugar, agricultural products and industrial raw materials from Brazil. On the other hand, a huge area has been created for direct export of ready-made garments, high-quality medicines, jute products and ceramics from Bangladesh to the Brazilian market, which will play a major role in the economic growth of the two countries.
At the beginning of the meeting, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's Chief Advisor Celso Amorim conveyed special greetings and congratulations to the leadership and people of Bangladesh. He referred to Bangladesh as a very important and emerging voice in the Global South or the Southern Hemisphere.
In the meeting, both sides discussed in detail the 'Foreign Office Consultations' (FOC) to be held immediately after the general elections in Brazil this year. It was hoped that several important agreements and institutional frameworks in various fields including agriculture, technology, health, education, sports, investment, energy and innovation between the two countries would be finalized in the upcoming FOC meeting.
In the meeting, both sides expressed their keen interest in taking the existing relations between Bangladesh and Brazil towards a strong strategic partnership. Highlighting Bangladesh's new diplomatic vision, Advisor Kabir said that Bangladesh's foreign policy will be guided by equality, dignity, mutual respect and balanced engagement.
Bangladesh believes in peace, stability and shared prosperity in South Asia and the wider region. Bangladesh's diplomacy will be fully self-respecting, proactive and based on national interests. He further mentioned that the current government is fully committed to reviving SAARC for the sake of regional peace, economic cooperation and integrated development in South Asia.
Celso Amorim, Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil, welcomed Bangladesh's position and said that both Bangladesh and Brazil can play an important role on the international stage in establishing an equitable, multipolar and inclusive international system as influential voices of the Global South. He laid special emphasis on the rapid expansion of technical and technical cooperation between the two countries.
Amorim highlighted new possibilities for joint partnerships and cooperation, especially in sensitive areas such as modern agriculture, environmentally friendly renewable energy, digital transformation, public health, industrial innovation, and defense research.
Source: Online/GFMM
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