State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, MP is leading a four members delegation to Jakarta to garner Indonesian support in an initiative called South and South East Asian Cooperation (SEACO). It is a private sector and track-II level Forum of five OIC countries in the region- Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Maldives with an objective of advancing regional economic integration. The Forum in the emergence is going to function in the model of World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) exclusively with the agenda of economic cooperation among the members’ countries and their neighborhoods. Bangladesh has taken the initiative and ready to host SEACO’s launching conference in Dhaka towards the end of June 2019 with expected participation of the Foreign Ministers along with the public and private stakeholders.
State Minister ShahriarAlam has a fruitful meeting with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia RentoMarsudi today and got their spontaneous support for the initiative. State Minister also handed over a formal letter of invitation to Indonesian Foreign Minister for attending the upcoming Conference in Dhaka.
The Rohingya issue also figures prominently in the discussion where they agreed enhanced role of the ASEAN in the repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh.The State Minister in his meeting with the Indonesian Foreign Minister reviewed the present status of Rohingya repatriation. State Minister briefed her about the outcome of latest Joint Working Group Meeting (JWG) in Nay Pyi Taw. Foreign Minister Marsudi informed that a comprehensive response team of ASEAN will soon visit to Rakhine and Cox’s Bazar to prepare a comprehensive need assessment.
The delegation also meet Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). The Minister’s delegation included Bangladesh High Commissioner to Indonesia Major General AzmalKabir, Dr. Shammi Ahmed, International Secreatry of Awami League, Executive Chairman of SEACO Foundation Bangladesh Salauddin K Khan, Adviser Dr. Abdul Mazid and other officials of the Ministry and Bangladesh High Commission.