<p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-size: 1rem;">To move things forward, the European Union and Sweden, currently holding the EU presidency, will host the second EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm on May 13.</b><br></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The meeting, co-chaired by the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tobias Billström, and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, takes place against the backdrop of turbulent international relations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The world’s geopolitical architecture and the multilateral systems are under threat, while the global economy is hampered by inflation and stretched supply chains – not to mention the profound impact that the climate crisis has in particular on littoral states such as Bangladesh," said Charles Whiteley, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, and Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh, in a joint article.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On April 24, Bangladesh launched its Indo-Pacific Outlook.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The outlook highlights stability and prosperity in the region as essential pillars when it comes to translating the vision of Bangladesh’s future as a modern, knowledge-based developed country by 2041 into reality.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The text chimes well with the European Union’s (EU) own 2021 Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to contribute to the stability, security, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region," the article reads.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh and the EU attach importance to the same crucial principles: respect for international law and the UN Charter, freedom of navigation and overflight, maritime security and safety, it says.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, both approaches place great emphasis on connectivity in all its incarnations, including energy, trade and digital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Furthermore, there is a common understanding of the global environmental challenges related to climate change, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The European Union has a clear interest in engaging in the Indo-Pacific region.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Together with Indo-Pacific nations we represent a majority of the world’s population, economy, and trade. This gives us the potential to shape global conditions, be it by securing supply chains or by setting up sustainable infrastructure networks," the two envoys wrote.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh is among the first countries in the Indo-Pacific region that features a Global Gateway flagship initiative, promoting green energy transition through renewable power generation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the security domain, the EU’s CRIMARIO programme, securing critical maritime routes in the Indo-Pacific region, has strengthened cooperation in maritime surveillance by sharing information, building capacity and providing training for its members.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm will address these key areas and explore opportunities for further cooperation between two of the most dynamic economic areas in the world, according to the article.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook delivers a welcome contribution to these joint efforts and is a very timely initiative indeed: in the current year, which celebrates 50 years of Bangladesh-EU relations, the need for closer relations between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region has never been greater," the envoys wrote.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the aim of strengthening the partnership between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region, the meeting will bring together around 60 foreign ministers from the Indo-Pacific region and the EU, along with representatives of Indo-Pacific regional organisations and other partners.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In many ways, the Indo-Pacific region is where the future of our planet and of history will be decided. How the region develops is of direct interest to us. We have a stake in each other’s security and a shared interest in upholding the rules-based international order. Today, both partners are facing similar challenges, not just in security, but in trade and aid. In a globalised world, there is no ‘faraway’ and conflicts cannot be separated,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Cooperation between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region is of great geopolitical and economic importance. Growing tensions are putting pressure on trade, technology and foreign and security policy, underscoring the need for Sweden and the EU to deepen partnerships and political dialogues with the Indo-Pacific. It is my hope and belief that this meeting will lead to even stronger cooperation,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Indo-Pacific region accounts for two thirds of global growth and, together with the EU, 70 percent of global trade.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Discussions during the meeting will centre on common challenges with respect to security, trade, global value chains, digitalisation, the green transition and energy security. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>