Dhaka, 19 October 2018:

The 12^th Asia- Europe Summit (12^th ASEM) held in Brussels on 18-19 October 2018 with the theme” Global Partners for Global Challenges. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Mahmood Ali led the Bangladesh delegation in this 12^th ASEM Summit.

Today, Bangladesh Foreign Minister delivered his statementin the second plenary titled “Reinforcing the multilateral system: advancing the ASEM partnership on global challenges.”

In his speech he projected before the forum Bangladesh’s democratic, secular and progressive identity as well as her effort to promote global peace, progress and prosperity as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Citing the issue of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals who took shelter in Bangladesh, Foreign Minister Ali expressed his gratitude to the international community for their continued support to Bangladesh for resolving this complex issue with Myanmar and expressed his hope that the first batch of eight thousand Rohingya people would be able to return to their original villages in Rakhine State soon. He also stressed the need forcreating great connectivity between Asia and Europe in order to develop infrastructure, institutions and people to people contact for overall progress.

Leader from fifty-three ASEM partners attended this grand Summit. In the summit it is decided that Cambodia will host the next ASEM Summit in 2020.

There were two plenaries and one retreat sessions altogether during the summit where leaders of Asia and Europe exchanged views on contemporary issues of global importance such as SDGs, Migration, Climate Change, Cyber Security, Fair Trade, Women Rights, Forcibly displaced people etc.