Malta to explore new business opportunities in Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Malta have agreed to begin a new era of cooperation to invigorate bilateral relations to achieve concrete benefits for the two nations.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Maltese Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela reached consensus during the first-ever official bilateral talks held in the Maltese capital of Valetta on Monday.

The two ministers exchanged views on all issues of mutual interest, with particular emphasis on enhanced economic cooperation by building partnerships in areas like maritime sector and blue economy, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

Dr Momen, now on a two-day official visit to Malta, also met the President of Malta Dr George Vella and Prime Minister of Malta Josef Muscat.

President of Malta saluted Bangladesh for the generosity extended to the Rohingyas and attributed Bangladesh's stellar economic growth to stable leadership.

Maltese Prime Minister Muscut expressed confidence about "undoubted scope for cooperation" in the maritime industry or blue economy as well as market access facilitation role for Malta in supporting Bangladeshi companies to get registered their generic pharma products for the EU.

Taking into account the fastest growing economic growth in both countries, they agreed to exchange trade and investment delegations in the near future to explore opportunities and exchange experiences and ideas for new businesses.

Malta is currently enjoying more than 5 percent growth, the highest in Europe, and Bangladesh is poised to grow over 8 percent for the current fiscal year.

Cooperation in the UN, Commonwealth and other International Organizations on issues like climate change, migration, including supporting each other's candidatures for elections in the international bodies, were also discussed.

The Maltese Foreign Minister praised the leadership role played by Bangladesh government in managing the protracted Rohingya crisis and assured of extending continued support for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The two Foreign Ministers signed two MoUs after the bilateral talks, respectively, on regular holding of Political Consultations and cooperation between Diplomatic training academies of the two countries.