PM likely to visit Germany, UAE Feb 14-19

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to have a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her forthcoming visit to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2019 scheduled for February 15-17.

The Prime Minister, who also attended Munich Security Conference in 2017, is scheduled to leave here for Germany on Thursday, according to her primary programme schedule.

The bilateral meeting is likely to take place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2019 when both sides will discuss issues of mutual interest, according to a diplomatic source.

Officials said the current excellent Bangladesh-Germany bilateral relationship is an outcome of the inter-personal intimacy between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Numerous heads of state and government, including Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi, Member of the 19th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Yang Jiechi, President of Ukraine Petro Poroschenko, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are likely to attend the security conference this year.

The MSC 2019 is also anticipating the largest US delegation of all time. From the United States, according to the website of the host, Vice President Mike Pence and Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan have confirmed their participation.

The US Congressional Delegation will be led by Senators Lindsey O Graham, Sheldon Whitehouse, Roger F Wicker, James Inhofe, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.

The other confirmed participants include Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, Christine Lagarde, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, and Kristalina Georgieva, acting President of the World Bank.

High on agenda of the MSC 2019 are themes such as the European Union's self-assertion, transatlantic cooperation, as well as possible consequences of a renewed era of great power competition.

Besides, experts from across the globe will discuss the future of arms control and cooperation in defence policy.

UAE Visit

From Germany, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit the United Arab Emirates on February 16 to attend the International Defence Exhibition and Conference 2019 to be held in Abu Dhabi.

In the UAE, the Prime Minister is likely hold meetings with top UAE leaders, including Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE's Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home on February 20.

Source: unb