French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy has expressed interest of the French government to have more strategic collaboration and partnership in the areas of climate change, migration, cybersecurity, ICT, defence, aviation, space, economic reforms and vocational education and skills development.
She said both people are similarly fond of cuisine and arts and requested enhanced cooperation in archaeological missions and the exchange of cultural troupes.
France will host a two-week-long festival on Bangladeshi culture and arts in Paris next year, she informed.
Ambassador Masdupuy congratulated Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on his assumption of office during a courtesy call on Thursday at the latter’s office.
The foreign minister fondly recalled the recognition of Bangladesh’s independence by France in February 1972 as one of the first few countries and termed the relations between the two countries as long-standing friendship.
He referred to the recent exchange of visits by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to France in November 2021 and French President Emmanel Macron to Bangladesh in September 2023 that transformed our bilateral relations towards a strategic one and thanked for the congratulatory letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from the French President on her re-election.
The foreign minister thanked the French government for its development cooperation as well over the years, including financial commitments of Euro 1 billion for the next 3 years towards Bangladesh’s climate actions, poverty alleviation, and economic development, etc.
In reply to the deep concerns raised by the foreign minister on the Rohingya issue, the French ambassador assured of continued humanitarian and political support of her government.
Both sides also shared views on the war in Gaza and hoped for an early end to the crisis.