Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to Brussels will give Bangladesh an opportunity to integrate with the Global Gateway, which is being seen by the analysts as a European version of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
“This’ll dispel the perception that Bangladesh is tilted towards China. The message is Bangladesh wants to maintain good relations with all and infrastructure development is its top priority. Nothing else,” Professor of International Relations Dr Delwar Hossain of Dhaka University told Dhaka Tribune.
“Global Gateway is an opportunity for Bangladesh,” he said.
The issue came to the fore as Foreign Minister Dr Ak Abdul Momen announced on Thursday that the prime minister would join the Global Gateway Forum on October 25-26 in Brussels at the invitation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
During the visit, the prime minister is expected to witness the signing of a €395 million loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, for green energy projects.
Of that, €45 million will be provided as a grant by the EU and the remaining €350 million will be given as loan. This project is part of Bangladesh’s initiative to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and combat climate change.
The prime minister is also expected to meet diplomats and leaders of the EU before her return to Dhaka on October 27.
The European Commission and the EU High Representative in 2021 set out the Global Gateway, a new European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.
Between 2021 and 2027, Team Europe, meaning EU institutions and EU Member States jointly, will mobilise up to €300 billion of investments for sustainable and high-quality projects, taking into account the needs of partner countries and ensuring lasting benefits for local communities, according to the project paper.
“This will allow the EU’s partners to develop their societies and economies, but also create opportunities for the EU Member States’ private sector to invest and remain competitive, whilst ensuring the highest environmental and labour standards, as well as sound financial management.”
The Global Gateway is the EU’s contribution to narrowing the global investment gap worldwide. It is in line with the commitment of the G7 leaders from June 2021 to launch a values-driven, high-standard and transparent infrastructure partnership to meet global infrastructure development needs. The Global Gateway is also fully aligned with the UN’s Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Paris Agreement.
Prof Delwar called it a “western version” of China's BRI as through the Global Gateway, the EU implements projects in Latin America and the Caribbean; the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific; and Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Developed world or the donors have understood that developing countries like Bangladesh have huge infrastructure demand and China is coming forward to meet those demands under its BRI. And following that recently we have observed that in the G7 summit, and the G20, the infrastructural development issues come to the fore. Here comes the idea of Global Gateway which will help countries develop infrastructure,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
“Bangladesh supports this idea. And the countries who promote the idea of Global Gateway, Bangladesh maintains good bilateral relations with them. So, this is a significant moment for Bangladesh because western world tried to say that Bangladesh is tilted towards China as it was taking Chinese help for infrastructural development.
“With the Prime Minister’s joining the Global Gateway Forum, Bangladesh is clearly sending the message that it wants to have good relations with all and infrastructure development is its top priority,” Prof Delwar said.
According to the EU, the Global Gateway focuses on areas of infrastructure that bring solutions to the various challenges in the current geopolitical context. It is centred around 5 policy drivers: such as digital, climate and energy, transport, health, and education and research.
It has taken up the Southeast Asia Regional Economic Corridor and Connectivity project, which includes the upgrade of Laotian National Highway No. 2, a section of Asian Highway 13. This is a key east-west corridor linking Vietnam with Thailand. The project supports the goals of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Master Plan on Connectivity.
In the health sector, the Global Gateway is strengthening healthcare capacities around the world, helping the countries to overcome diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, yellow fever, tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS.
“The Global Gateway will prioritise the security of pharmaceutical supply chains and the development of local manufacturing.”
The Global Gateway is investing in quality education, paying attention to the inclusion of vulnerable groups, and is working with partner countries to strengthen cooperation on research and innovation.
EU-Bangladesh diplomatic relations were established in 1973. In 2001, a cooperation agreement was signed extending trade, economic and development cooperation, human rights, good governance and the environment.
For the 2021-2027 period, the EU’s Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Bangladesh prioritises 3 areas such as human capital development, green inclusive development, and inclusive governance. In addition, the MIP covers cross-cutting issues of migration and forced displacement, security and human rights.
According to its report marking the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s centrepiece of foreign policy, China divided BRI activities in Bangladesh into three areas: infrastructure development, energy and power collaboration, and social and cultural exchange.
