Bangladesh and Australia have the scope to further enhance and diversify their trade and economic cooperation, especially with the signing of the Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) last year.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne shared this conviction at a bilateral meeting held here on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

They also recalled the exchange of goodwill messages between the Prime Ministers of the two countries to mark the occasion.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister urged his Australian counterpart to jointly explore ways to increase the volume and content of bilateral trade.

The two Ministers discussed the possibility of organizing a visit by a business delegation focusing on pharmaceutical exports from Bangladesh.

The Australian Foreign Minister expressed interest in exporting wool for Bangladesh’s apparel industry.

Momen requested Australia to provide skills training for increased jobs creation in the renewable energy sector.

Momen reiterated this suggestion on introducing direct flights between the two countries, particularly for the convenience of Bangladesh expatriates living in Australia.

The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of growing interest in the region.

They reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation for the shared prosperity and security of all in the region.

Foreign Minister Momen urged Australia to continue to work on finding durable solutions to the Rohingya humanitarian crisis. Minister Payne assured of her country’s abiding commitment to this end.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Md. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuyian, ndc was present at the meeting.

The three-day Munich Security Conference 2022 got concluded today. The Bangladesh Foreign Minister spoke at a panel discussion on tackling the climate crisis on the first day.

Lt. Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division accompanied him at the Conference.