Bangladesh and Iceland have agreed to strengthen collaboration in the areas of mutual interest, particularly fisheries management.
Both countries also decided to cooperate in jointly overcoming the threat of climate change.
This was agreed at a meeting between the two foreign ministers, AH Mahmood Ali and Lilja Alfredsdóttir, on Sep 7 when the Bangladesh foreign minister paid an official visit, said a joint statement on Friday.
The visit was part of his tour of the Nordic countries with a view to what the foreign ministry said revitalising Bangladesh’s bilateral cooperation, including exploring new areas of cooperation. He is now visiting Sweden.
During his Iceland visit, he also met with Prime Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannssonat.
In his official talks with his counterpart Alfredsdóttir, Ali thanked him for extending cooperation for the development of the fisheries sector in Bangladesh.
The United Nations University Fisheries Training Program (UNU-FTP) in Iceland has a MoU with Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) since Sept 2014.
The two ministers noted that a total of 12 fellows from Bangladesh had taken part in the six-month training programme.
The UNU-FTP has taken a total of five trips to Bangladesh for field studies, scouting, and partnership building. The first short course was held in Bangladesh from May 8 to May 13 this year.
Ali also sought support in its desire to be an observer at the Arctic Council. His counterpart assured him of giving the matter due consideration.
He also commended the long standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Iceland, which commenced immediately after Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
bdnews24.com, 2016