CA moots 5-point recommendation at D-8 summit
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (bdnews24.com/UNB): Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed Tuesday mooted a five-point recommendation for effective cooperation among the D-8 member-states in areas of energy, food, trade, climate change and migration as the forum leaders met to update their agenda suiting the present context, reports bdnews24.com/UNB.
Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed recommended this while addressing the summit of the Developing-8, commonly known as D-8, in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday.
The Chief Adviser stressed the need for working collectively in ensuring energy security in eight biggest Muslim countries that grouped into the D-8.
Dr Ahmed, who led Bangladesh to the Developing-8 (D-8) Summit in the elegant-looking Malaysian capital, proposed to establish financing mechanisms to ensure a steady supply of affordable energy and focus on renewable energy as he said energy security is a must to realise the development potential the member-nations hold.
On the sweeping global food crisis-much of it blamed on brouhaha on the energy front--the Chief Adviser called for creating a D-8 Food Fund to enhance collective food security. He noted that an unprecedented price-hike of food-grains is disproportionately affecting the poor in many countries.
"We need to develop mechanisms, not only to address short-term supply-side shocks but also strengthen cooperation to increase agriculture productivity. This is a must to prevent hunger and malnutrition," he told the summit meet at Hotel Hilton, mentioning that it is a key priority of the UN-designated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousof Raja Gilani represented their countries. Egypt, Nigeria and Turkey were represented at ministerial level.
The theme of this year's summit is 'Meeting global challenges through innovative cooperation.'
The 6th summit of the bloc began at 9:25 am (local time) with the host Malaysian Prime Minister delivering the inaugural speech.
Outgoing D-8 Chairman and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and D-8 Secretary General Dipo Alam also made their statements at the outset of the meet.
Later, an agreement on simplification of visa procedures for D-8 businessmen was signed by Malaysia.
Dr Ahmed expressed the confidence that full implementation of the Preferential Trade Agreement provisions would significantly boost the trade volume.
He stressed operationalisation of the customs agreement and implementing agreements on simplifications of visa procedures for businessmen and MoU on Air Services Cooperation.
The Chief Adviser told the forum that Bangladesh has ratified the D-8 Visa Agreement, which would facilitate business travels to Bangladesh from other member-countries.
On the critical issue of Climate Change, he said D-8 members should cooperate in regional and multilateral forums to uphold the sacrosanct principle of 'common but differentiated responsibility'.
He proposed taking concrete steps and going beyond the agreed visa regime to facilitate the movement of natural persons among the D-8 member-countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria and Egypt.
The Chief Adviser said the D-8 should also take a common position on liberalisation of Mode 1V services to ease the movement of labour to the developed countries.
Turning to domestic political scenario, Dr Ahmed said his caretaker government is now at the final stage of political reforms to make democracy meaningful for the people.
He brought to the notice of the summit leaders the significant measures taken by the present caretaker government to eradicate corruption, promote the rights of the people, establish the rule of law, and make the government, especially the judiciary, effective and accountable.
Dr Ahmed further informed the D-8 leaders that his government opened dialogue with political parties to forge a national consensus for good governance.
"Bangladesh's experience, we believe, can serve as an example for many developing countries facing the challenges of democracy and governance," he said.
Iranian President and Pakistani Prime Minister also made their respective countries' statement before delivery of Dr Fakhruddin's speech.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has appreciated the good working experience of Bangladeshi workforce, getting higher wages, but emphasised that they should be more respectful to the rules and regulations of the land.
He made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on the sidelines of the D-summit at Hotel Hilton, CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters.
Responding to the host PM, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed said his government has already taken various steps to make Bangladeshi workforce skilled and conversant with the tricks of the trade.
"Malaysian technical know-how and capital and Bangladeshi labour could make effective combination for a win-win situation for the two countries," the head of caretaker government said.
Badawi remarked that Bangladesh is comparatively peaceful than India and Pakistan in these times of disquiet.
The Chief Adviser also invited the Malaysia premier to visit Bangladesh, and he accepted the invitation.
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Choudhury, Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar and Bangladesh High Commissioner M Khairuzzaman were also present during the meeting.
Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed recommended this while addressing the summit of the Developing-8, commonly known as D-8, in Kuala Lumpur Tuesday.
The Chief Adviser stressed the need for working collectively in ensuring energy security in eight biggest Muslim countries that grouped into the D-8.
Dr Ahmed, who led Bangladesh to the Developing-8 (D-8) Summit in the elegant-looking Malaysian capital, proposed to establish financing mechanisms to ensure a steady supply of affordable energy and focus on renewable energy as he said energy security is a must to realise the development potential the member-nations hold.
On the sweeping global food crisis-much of it blamed on brouhaha on the energy front--the Chief Adviser called for creating a D-8 Food Fund to enhance collective food security. He noted that an unprecedented price-hike of food-grains is disproportionately affecting the poor in many countries.
"We need to develop mechanisms, not only to address short-term supply-side shocks but also strengthen cooperation to increase agriculture productivity. This is a must to prevent hunger and malnutrition," he told the summit meet at Hotel Hilton, mentioning that it is a key priority of the UN-designated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousof Raja Gilani represented their countries. Egypt, Nigeria and Turkey were represented at ministerial level.
The theme of this year's summit is 'Meeting global challenges through innovative cooperation.'
The 6th summit of the bloc began at 9:25 am (local time) with the host Malaysian Prime Minister delivering the inaugural speech.
Outgoing D-8 Chairman and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and D-8 Secretary General Dipo Alam also made their statements at the outset of the meet.
Later, an agreement on simplification of visa procedures for D-8 businessmen was signed by Malaysia.
Dr Ahmed expressed the confidence that full implementation of the Preferential Trade Agreement provisions would significantly boost the trade volume.
He stressed operationalisation of the customs agreement and implementing agreements on simplifications of visa procedures for businessmen and MoU on Air Services Cooperation.
The Chief Adviser told the forum that Bangladesh has ratified the D-8 Visa Agreement, which would facilitate business travels to Bangladesh from other member-countries.
On the critical issue of Climate Change, he said D-8 members should cooperate in regional and multilateral forums to uphold the sacrosanct principle of 'common but differentiated responsibility'.
He proposed taking concrete steps and going beyond the agreed visa regime to facilitate the movement of natural persons among the D-8 member-countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria and Egypt.
The Chief Adviser said the D-8 should also take a common position on liberalisation of Mode 1V services to ease the movement of labour to the developed countries.
Turning to domestic political scenario, Dr Ahmed said his caretaker government is now at the final stage of political reforms to make democracy meaningful for the people.
He brought to the notice of the summit leaders the significant measures taken by the present caretaker government to eradicate corruption, promote the rights of the people, establish the rule of law, and make the government, especially the judiciary, effective and accountable.
Dr Ahmed further informed the D-8 leaders that his government opened dialogue with political parties to forge a national consensus for good governance.
"Bangladesh's experience, we believe, can serve as an example for many developing countries facing the challenges of democracy and governance," he said.
Iranian President and Pakistani Prime Minister also made their respective countries' statement before delivery of Dr Fakhruddin's speech.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has appreciated the good working experience of Bangladeshi workforce, getting higher wages, but emphasised that they should be more respectful to the rules and regulations of the land.
He made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on the sidelines of the D-summit at Hotel Hilton, CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters.
Responding to the host PM, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed said his government has already taken various steps to make Bangladeshi workforce skilled and conversant with the tricks of the trade.
"Malaysian technical know-how and capital and Bangladeshi labour could make effective combination for a win-win situation for the two countries," the head of caretaker government said.
Badawi remarked that Bangladesh is comparatively peaceful than India and Pakistan in these times of disquiet.
The Chief Adviser also invited the Malaysia premier to visit Bangladesh, and he accepted the invitation.
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Choudhury, Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar and Bangladesh High Commissioner M Khairuzzaman were also present during the meeting.