Commissioner Piebalgs in Bangladesh to support encouraging progress for poverty reduction and strengthen development cooperation
On Tuesday, 21 June, European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs will arrive to Dhaka (Bangladesh), together with German Development Minister Dirk Niebel, for an official visit to the country. Commissioner Piebalgs will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed and several senior members of the Government to reaffirm EU support for Bangladesh’s sustainable and inclusive economic growth and social development. He will also meet leading representatives of civil society and visit several EU-funded projects.
Commissioner Piebalgs said: Bangladesh is an emerging success story among Least Developed Countries. Thanks to its encouraging economic growth over last few years, 15 million people have lifted themselves out of poverty. But these efforts must be enhanced if Bangladesh is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. As a reliable long-term partner, the EU will continue to support Bangladesh in our common goal of combating poverty and creating conditions for sustainable development of the country.
The EU, together with its Member States, is the largest donor to Bangladesh, with €403 million earmarked from 2007 until 2013 to support human and social development, governance and human rights, economic and trade development, environmental protection, climate change and food security. Total EU assistance to Bangladesh amounts to approximately €100 million per year.
