Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission (HRVP) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 23 September.

In the meeting, Foreign Minister Momen requested for effective measures by European Union for creation of conducive environment in Myanmar for sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh. 

He explained that sheltering 1.1 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh have been putting enormous social, economic and environmental cost for Bangladesh. HRVP Borell thanked Bangladesh for the humanitarian gesture to the Rohingyas, and assured that EU would work with Bangladesh and the international community to ensure sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas.

The issue of climate change was discussed in the bilateral meeting. Foreign Minister Momen briefed the HRVP about the role of Bangladesh as the President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF). 

He raised the issue of the 100 billion dollars annual climate fund pledged by the developed countries, and requested EU to fulfil the commitment. Dr. Momen stressed on the importance of allocation of 50 per cent of the climate financing for adaptation measures. He explained the importance of loss and damage incurred because of river erosion, intrusion of salinity, sea level rise, floods and draughts. Foreign Minister emphasised on the need of sharing of responsibility for the climate migrants – the people uprooted from their homes and traditional jobs because of impacts of climate change.

Dr. Momen also explained the need of creating high and wide embankments in the coastal belt, and in the areas prone to river erosion. He invited public funding and private sector investment from EU in developing the embankments, with roads, solar panels and windmills on those. Mr. Josep Borell remarked that significant efforts would be needed to contain the temperature rise to the maximum limit of 1.5 degree Celsius. He was of the view that there would be social and economic shocks in the effort of addressing the challenges of climate change. Foreign Minister agreed with the HRVP, and sought technology transfer for coping with the mitigation targets.     

Foreign Minister Dr. Abdul Momen raised the issue of trade with EU. He thanked the HRVP for providing duty-free market access to Bangladeshi products under the EBA scheme of EU. He also expressed thanks to Mr. Borell for continued market access to Bangladesh till 2029, and requested for providing GSP+ facilities once the EBA facilities to Bangladesh will be over in 2029. HRVP assured the Foreign Minister that he would convey the request with positive recommendation to the concerned authorities of EU.