Bangladesh and Denmark on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sustainable and green framework engagement to strengthen the partnership on climate and green transition between the two countries.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Minister for Development and Cooperation of Denmark Flemming Moller Mortensen signed the MoU in presence of visiting Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark at a city hotel.
After the signing ceremony, a meeting was held between the two foreign ministers at the same venue where they discussed the issues of mutual interest.
Celebrating the 50 years of diplomatic ties, the ministers have pledged to take the Bangladesh-Denmark relations to a new level.
The two countries wished to partner towards attaining a sustainable and greener future globally.
The focus will be on climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental damage and loss of biodiversity, in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change, according to Danish Embassy in Dhaka.
Bangladesh and Denmark share a joint commitment in tackling global challenges such as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Denmark is the first country to enter into a framework engagement with Bangladesh aiming to provide knowledge and technology towards attaining a sustainable and greener future.
The cooperation will bring all instruments into play, ranging from diplomatic action, and development cooperation to climate funding, investments, trade, and private sector relations, including public-private partnerships, according to a joint media statement.
At the signing ceremony, Minister Momen said the framework engagement would serve as an expression of intent between Bangladesh and Denmark, which will be supplemented by an action plan involving the concerned government entities.
"This initiative signals our two countries’ shared interest in further diversifying the content of our bilateral relations. It should help build synergies between Bangladesh’s home-grown climate change adaptation strategies and Danish innovation and technological expertise,” he said.
The Danish minister stated that he was very pleased to sign the agreement during his first visit to Bangladesh.
“Denmark and Bangladesh are two countries with a strong and active engagement in the global climate agenda. The signing of the green framework document today (Monday), signals that we are ready to ‘walk the talk’ on the commitments made in the Paris Agreement – the international treaty on climate change,” he said.
Also Read- Crown Princess of Denmark Mary Elizabeth in Dhaka on a three-day visit
Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth arrived in Dhaka on Monday morning on a three-day visit was received by Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Shortly after arrival, the princess met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban.
The princess is scheduled to reach Cox’s Bazar at around 5pm on Monday and will join a briefing by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) on Tuesday morning.
She is scheduled to reach Cox’s Bazar at around 5pm on Monday, and will join a briefing by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) on Tuesday morning.
The princess will travel to Rohingya camps by car from Cox’s Bazar town and observe soil erosion control and environmental restoration activities of DRC through tree plantation at camp 5.
She will interact with around 10 Rohingya beneficiaries in an open shed outside of the RCO. She will plant trees there.
Mary Elizabeth will also meet with the host community.
From Cox’s Bazar, she will travel to Satkhira on Wednesday morning and visit Kultoli village to meet climate-vulnerable community members.
She is also scheduled to visit the multipurpose cyclone shelter at the nearby community, its management committee, and its functionality during cyclone
She will talk to community members close behind embankment about vulnerability, loss, and damages caused by cyclones
Mary Elizabeth will avail of a boat ride to the Sundarbans and will have interaction with the forest officials during a 15 minutes' walk through the natural resource discussing biodiversity and saltwater intrusion in the Sundarbans.
She is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Istanbul on Wednesday night.