Dr Momen on a visit to Cambodia signs MoU, seeks support for Rohingya repatriation

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, MP, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cambodia and sought support for early and peaceful repatriation of Rohingya stranded people.

Dr Momen is in Phnom Penh for an official visit from July 14 to 16, 2022.

The FM spent a busy day in Phnom Penh today meeting the Cambodian leaders, signing an MoU, delivering a lecture, talking to the media and meeting Bangladeshi expatriates in Cambodia.

In the morning, Momen paid a courtesy call on the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday. They expressed satisfaction at the existing bilateral relations and determination to further strengthen the relations in the days ahead.

While congratulating the Cambodian leader for being the Chair of ASEAN for 2022, Dr Momen extended an invitation to him for a visit to Bangladesh next year on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Cambodian Prime Minister congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the people of Bangladesh for successfully implementing the challenging Padma Multipurpose Bridge project by using own resources. He termed the bridge as a symbol of pride for the developing countries like Cambodia as well.

The FM sought the Cambodian leader’s support as the current Chair of ASEAN for expediting the repatriation of the stranded Rohingyas from Bangladesh to their homeland in Myanmar.

He also requested for Cambodian support in favour of Bangladesh candidacy for Sectoral Dialogue Partnership. The Cambodian leader conveyed his best regards and greetings to Prime Minister Sheikh describing her as a ‘respected elder sister’.

Dr Momen and Prime Minister Hun Sen voiced concerns for the rising inflationary pressure affecting millions across the world due to the pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts.

Following the Momen-Hun Sen meeting, Bangladesh-Cambodia bilateral talks were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Phnom Penh today.

AK Abdul Momen, MP, and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn led the respective delegations.

The two Foreign Ministers reviewed the important aspects of the bilateral relations between the two countries. The two Foreign Ministers reiterated their keenness for further strengthening the existing bilateral relations by adding further substances to it. The two sides discussed, inter alia, the areas of cooperation in trade, commerce, investment, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, food security, manpower, ICT, tourism, cultural exchange etc.

Both the sides agreed to make efforts for enhancing the bilateral trade, which is currently much below the potentials, they observed. They also emphasized on concluding the diverse MoUs under process at the earliest.

Both the sides agreed to have more high level engagements to add further momentum to the bilateral relations.

Following the bilateral talks, an MoU was signed between the Foreign Service Academy of Bangladesh and the National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations of Cambodia today in presence of Dr AK Abdul Momen and his Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn.

On this occasion, Dr. Momen delivered a lecture on “Padma Bridge in Bangladesh: Opening New Opportunity for Connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia” at the National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations.

Later in the evening, Foreign Minister met the Bangladeshi expatriates in Cambodia and urged them to contribute their experience and expertise for the continued development and progress of the country.