Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Per Olsson Fridh has described Bangladesh’s graduation from the list of least developed countries (LDC) as the success of the people of the country, noting that success will also create poverty.
He expressed his country’s willingness to help Bangladesh reduce poverty.
“The graduation from LDC is the success of the people of Bangladesh. But, pockets of success will create pockets of poverty,” Swedish Minister Fridh told Dhaka Tribune and three other media outlets at a local hotel on Friday.
A substantial number of people are facing extreme poverty and the scenario will be the same even after the graduation, he said, adding, “We will be there to partner with Bangladesh to close that gap.”
The Swedish minister for international development cooperation wrapped up his week-long visit to Bangladesh on Friday.
While in Bangladesh, he held meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Finance Minister Mustafa Kamal and Environment Minister Md. Shahab Uddin. He also met with civil society, youth, and national and international development partners to get their views on development, and the opportunities and challenges of the future.
The Swedish minister also visited the Rohingya settlements in Cox’s Bazar and the Sundarbans area, to see first-hand the effects of climate change.
In his meetings with Bangladeshi ministers, Fridh held discussions on areas where Sweden and Bangladesh might cooperate more closely, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, social dialogue, and rights in the workplace.
He also raised topics of democracy, human rights and the rule of law as well as gender equality as areas where Sweden is ready to deepen engagement with Bangladesh.
“The Swedish-Bangladeshi partnership for the first 50 years is full of success stories. Today, we are ready to work with Bangladesh to tackle the many common challenges that we face for the future,” said the minister whose department is under the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Swedish government has recently decided to continue development cooperation with Bangladesh for the next five years, the current strategy running up to the end of 2025. At the same time, we will work to support our expanding trade relations and people-to-people contacts, which have become pillars of our partnership in their own rights,” he said.
To a question, Minister Fridh said that a stable market economy needs transparency, accountability, renewable energy, and fossil fuel.
Democracy
On democracy, the Swedish minister said that it is experiencing a backsliding across the globe.
He stressed the need for the trust of people on the governing institutions.
He also placed great emphasis on freedom of expression, transparency, and space for civil society.
Preconditions for Swedish investment
“It’s not just growth and development. We need to see two things for more Swedish investment,” said the minister.
One is Bangladesh’s commitment to renewable energy leading to carbon-neutral products and the second one is social dialogue, he said.
Elaborating on social dialogue, Fridh mentioned workers’ rights at workplaces, trade unions, and more inclusiveness.
“Human rights are very important prerequisites,” he stressed.
Rohingya repatriation to be further delayed due to the coup
Responding to a question, the minister denounced the coup in Myanmar on February 1 and demanded that the civilian government be restored.
Due to the coup, the repatriation of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas is unlikely in the near future he said.
“We need to speak out against attacks on fundamental human rights,” Fridh also said about the military crackdown on Rohingyas.
