British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke on Sunday said Bangladesh and the United Kingdom will continue to work closely to further strengthen their longstanding partnership, with trade and investment, migration cooperation and support for the Rohingya response among shared priorities.
"We discussed the strength and the breadth of the UK-Bangladesh partnership, which continues to go from strength to strength. Our conversation covered a wide range of shared priorities, including trade and investment, migration cooperation, support for the Rohinga response, and regional and international issues," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after her courtesy meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir.
The High Commissioner said this is because Bangladesh and the UK share a long standing partnership, built on deep connections between the peoples, vibrant trade and investment ties, and close cooperation on regional and local issues.
“I was delighted to meet with the Honorable State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir today, and to congratulate him on his recent appointment,” she said.
"I look forward to working closely with the State Minister, and, of course, the government of Bangladesh, to build on our strong partnership and deliver tangible benefits for both our countries," she added.
The High Commissioner congratulated the State Minister on his assumption of office and expressed confidence that the Bangladesh-UK partnership would continue to grow stronger, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides noted with satisfaction the deep-rooted historical ties and strong people-to-people connections between the two countries and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in trade and investment, strengthen long-term economic ties, and enhance collaboration in Bangladesh’s aviation sector.
They also exchanged views on increasing cooperation in other priority areas including education, migration & mobility, skills development and security.
The State Minister appreciated the United Kingdom’s continued support for the Rohingyas and urged the UK to maintain its role in international efforts towards their safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.
The High Commissioner assured that the United Kingdom would continue to play its leadership role as the penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council and work towards keeping the issue high on the international agenda.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation on bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest.
