The first bilateral political consultation between Bangladesh and Switzerland will be held on Tuesday to boost relationships between the two countries.
“We hope to arrange such meetings on an annual basis,” Additional Foreign Secretary Mustafa Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday.
He will lead the Bangladesh side in the meeting while Beat Nobs, assistant state secretary of the Swiss foreign affairs ministry, will lead his country’s delegation.
The foreign ministers of the two countries agreed last year to hold the consultation under a memorandum of understanding, Mustafa Kamal said.
A press release of the Swiss embassy said the consultation is one of the major outcomes of the MoU signed in the Swiss capital between the two foreign ministers in February last year.
It will further strengthen bilateral political ties, expand trade and investment and underpin the long-standing development cooperation between Bangladesh and Switzerland.
“Both countries will also endeavour to develop common understandings on a wide array of issues including regional and multilateral,” the press release said.
Swiss Assistant State Secretary Beat Nobs is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Monday for a three-day visit. He is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and representatives of diplomatic missions, international organisations, NGOs, civil society and the media during his stay.
Nobs will also visit the project areas of the “Community Based Climate Adaptation by Coastal Afforestation,” co-funded by the Swiss government, in Barguna.