Tarique Rahman Pays Courtesy Call on Maldivian President

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a courtesy meeting with Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. The meeting took place on Wednesday (November 11), with the Prime Minister’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, also present.
According to the Maldivian President’s Office, the meeting reflected the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries. Discussions also focused on bilateral relations, mutual cooperation and strengthening high-level contacts between Bangladesh and the Maldives.
There are significant opportunities for cooperation between Bangladesh and the Maldives in addressing climate change risks, expanding economic cooperation and advancing shared interests on the international stage. In particular, rising sea levels, coastal flooding and the risks of natural disasters caused by climate change pose major challenges for both countries.
Securing climate finance is one of the Maldives’ key priorities at the UN climate conference. In his national statement at the conference, President Muizzu called on developed countries to ensure that their pledged climate finance is new, additional, predictable and grant-based. He also said countries that bear the least responsibility for the climate crisis should not be forced to address its impacts by taking on additional debt.
It may be noted that Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is visiting Türkiye from November 10 to 14. Alongside attending COP31, he is holding high-level meetings with leaders from various countries. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is also holding meetings and courtesy calls with heads of state and government on the sidelines of the conference.
According to analysts, high-level engagement between Bangladesh and the Maldives could play an important role in expanding economic and diplomatic cooperation, alongside advancing their shared interests in addressing the risks of climate change.