Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa at the Bilateral Meeting Room of Palais de Nations in Geneva. He revealed that BRICS Bank had extended an invitation to Bangladesh as a guest.
FM Momen disclosed that there are plans for BRICS to invite Bangladesh to join as a member in the future. The upcoming BRICS conference, scheduled to be held in August in South Africa, will be attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Currently consisting of Brazil, India, China, South Africa, and Russia, BRICS intends to expand its membership by adding eight more countries. Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia have received invitations to join. FM Momen highlighted that this development presents a new avenue for financing, which would greatly benefit Bangladesh’s financial needs.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requested South Africa to establish a mission in Bangladesh to bolster bilateral cooperation. Additionally, the President of Malta, Dr. George Vella, also held discussions with the Prime Minister at the same venue, where Sheikh Hasina requested Malta to open a mission in Dhaka and expressed interest in exporting readymade garments (RMG) products and pharmaceutical items.
Furthermore, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General, Gilbert F Hounbo, met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the same location. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Labour and Employment Secretary Md Ehsan-E-Elahi, and PM’s speechwriter M Nazrul Islam were present during these meetings.
