Since February 1972, soon after France officially identified Bangladesh as an impartial nation, both nations have been relishing an efficacious relationship more than the many years. In this program, 2023 has conjoined an additional plethora of development in the bilateral rapport covering large problems of geostrategic, financial, technological, and other relevant arenas. The year 2023, moreover, has fashioned the likely to arise as a breakthrough period of time in bilateral relations involving Bangladesh and France. In this respect, French President Emmanuel Macron’s high-profile September take a look at to Bangladesh has established the stage for elevated strategic cooperation concerning two progressively aligned associates.
On the geopolitical front, both nations have reiterated a shared vision for a “free, open up, tranquil and inclusive” Indo-Pacific area anchored in global liberal get. As Primary Minister Sheikh Hasina famous, ‘Deeper France-Bangladesh ties can inject optimistic momentum to this guidelines-dependent regional get at a time of world flux.’ France’s geostrategic goals in the Indian Ocean and Bangladesh’s coastal area possessing the spheres of impact in the Bay of Bengal make both of those companions all-natural in ensuring maritime protection and regional balance. Furthermore, with convergent priorities all-around local weather action, sustainable connectivity, quality FDI inflows, and counterterrorism, there exists strong place for bilateral and multilateral cooperation that has been spurred in the year 2023. France’s steadfast guidance for Bangladesh’s foreign policy autonomy has also catalyzed partnerships upholding strategic stability across South Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
On the financial aspect, with Bangladesh aiming for upper middle-income position by 2031, France has conveyed sturdy curiosity in aiding its infrastructure and technologies ambitions. The $3 billion aviation offer with Airbus signed in 2023 reinforces widened industrial inbound links. The signed French assistance, right after Macron’s take a look at, in airports, climate, and shipping sign additional vectors of acquire-acquire cooperation suited for Bangladesh’s swift growth in developmental wants. Having said that, as democracies aligned on progressive values from secularism to climate justice, deeper societal connections also underpin the relationship’s positive trajectory in 2023. France President Emmanuel Macron’s appreciation of Bangladesh’s economic wonder and developmental priorities highlights widening spheres of mutual understanding central to persons-centric regional and world wide integration.
With strong historic bonds, shared worldviews, and growing strategic and financial priorities, alongside general public heat fueling societal relations, 2023 has provided a fertile floor for an elevated Bangladesh-France partnership that gave increase to a optimistic transform across South Asia and past.
Macron’s Pay a visit to and a New Acme of Bangladesh-France Bilateral Ties
Bangladesh-France bilateral rapport seasoned a new pinnacle marking huge progress in various features just after and ahead of the breakthrough go to of Emmanuel Macron this calendar year. French President Emmanuel Macron relished an official check out on September ten offering rise to a landmark stuffed with bilateral talks and agreements between the two international locations. With this noteworthy check out, it is also apparent that the connection involving Dhaka and Paris is at the moment at its strongest stage, with raising economic ties and collaboration on important troubles these as aviation shopping for and weather motion.
All through Macron’s momentous September 2023 check out, Bangladesh and France took the bilateral relations to a new level by expressing to establish a “strategic partnership for peace, prosperity, and people today.” The joint statement, released following the bilateral summit, hinted at enhanced cooperation across different areas which includes local weather motion, sustainable improvement, trade, defence, know-how, tradition, and extra. The stop by also focused on the development of a trustworthy and significant connection that promotes strategic autonomy, while also emphasizing shared democratic values and the advertising of aims relating to development. France continuously supports Bangladesh’s climate resilience endeavours, concentrating on spurring weather finance to assistance the eco-friendly transitions of acquiring nations. Each parties emphasized the will need for a swift world wide power transition and expressed assistance for the progress designed at COP28 on local climate problems. The joint statement mentioned, “Bangladesh and France reiterate their curiosity in growing bilateral trade and checking out potentials for long run investments.”
Even before Macron’s take a look at, Bertrand Lortholary, a senior French international ministry official visiting Bangladesh in January 2023, emphasized France’s fascination in maximizing cooperation with Dhaka throughout weather, safety, and financial realms. As he mentioned, France seeks “ever closer” collaboration with Indo-Pacific states, especially Bangladesh, to tackle shared worries. Citing the “thriving relationship,” and highlighting “the stability of maritime transportation, traffic of goods on the oceans, and the will need of tackling jointly unlawful fishing,” Lortholary famous deep alignment concerning the two countries’ eyesight for a “free, open, peaceful” Indo-Pacific location.
Nonetheless, as both equally Sheikh Hasina and Emmanuel Macron highlighted, this pay a visit to paved the way for improved connectivity in between France and Bangladesh. Through his speech, Macron explained the strengthened romance as “ushering in a new era of our longstanding partnership.” Given the common background and mutual passions in sustainability and democratic values, it seems that the two countries are properly-positioned to collaborate strategically on the two regional and international problems even following 2023.
Financial, Trade, and Technological Ties in 2023
Throughout French President Emmanuel Macron’s September 2023 check out to Bangladesh, the leaders of both of those countries expressed interest in strengthening bilateral trade and financial commitment flows. As the joint assertion affirmed, France lauded Bangladesh’s economic prospective clients and “willingness to more deepen and widen” economic partnership throughout sectors. Throughout Macron’s take a look at, a Credit rating Facility Settlement (MoU) was inked between the Financial Relations Division of Bangladesh and the France Development Agency of France for the ‘Improving City Governance and Infrastructure Programme’. Also, a sizeable settlement had been attained concerning Bangladesh Satellite Enterprise Minimal and Airbus Defence and Room SAS, France, about the Bangabandhu-2 Earth Observation Satellite System.
Building on the 2018 launch of Bangladesh’s 1st communications satellite developed by France’s Thales Alenia Place, the clean area cooperation signifies widened bilateral room ties. It also highlights deepening financial back links with France throughout strategic superior-technology sectors beyond conventional partnerships in engineering and vitality. As per reports, the about $200 million credit line from France would support good quality infrastructure aligned with Bangladesh’s advancement eyesight. Meanwhile, the satellite technological innovation transfer pact aims to boost Bangladesh’s independent earth checking capabilities for enhanced crop forecasting and maritime area recognition. According to Sheikh Hasina, France has restated its willingness to boost trade with Bangladesh under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Choices Plus (GSP+) offering developing nations alternatives to obtain sustainable progress alongside with fantastic governance.
By the way, in a main aviation change throughout Macron’s stop by, Bangladesh has agreed to order ten Airbus A-350 widebody plane well worth above $three billion—replacing Boeing as the provider for national carrier Biman’s long-haul fleet up grade. As for each Minister Mahbub Ali, whilst Biman’s present 20-airplane fleet is fully Boeing, the Airbus buy will be executed in phases starting with two plane. Driving reliable financial development, Bangladesh aims to emerge as an higher center-income economy by 2031 which should spur air travel demand from customers. With the offer, Biman Bangladesh joins regional peers like Singapore Airways and Cathay Pacific in opting for Airbus A-350s.
Also, at the inaugural Bangladesh-France financial commitment summit in Paris in Oct 2023, French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy framed escalating economic links as vital to cementing the strategic partnership concerning both of those nations. Referring to President Emmanuel Macron’s September pay a visit to which elevated bilateral ties, she questioned French firms to tap into Bangladesh’s resilience and dynamism across priority sectors. Noting sturdy present partnerships in delivery, clothing, LPG and technological certifications, analysts see room for larger private sector participation. Flagship collaborations in aviation, satellites and drinking water remedy showcase promising vectors of business cooperation amongst French experience and Bangladesh’s improvement desires.
On the other hand, as briefed by the Élysée Palace, Macron’s trip has been aiming to speed up cooperation throughout nuclear electric power, hydropower, aeronautics and other high-probable sectors in which France offers specialised abilities that can support Bangladesh’s improvement vision. As the Élysée official affirmed, “Bangladesh can become 1 of the 30 biggest economies in the planet by 2030 and is wanting to the relaxation of the world.” By the way, about time, the bilateral trade involving France and Bangladesh has seasoned a outstanding surge since the 1990s, with the total trade quantity skyrocketing from €210M to an amazing €4.9 billion by 2023. This important increase in trade has positioned France as the fifth-most significant destination for exports from Bangladesh. By backing Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy and showcasing its economic prospective to hit $1 trillion in GDP by 2041, France aims for substantial bilateral and regional impacts.
Geopolitical and Geostrategic Cooperation
The Bangladesh-France bilateral rapport in 2023 has also expert Emmanuel Macron’s high-stakes Bangladesh pay a visit to aiming to translate France’s resident electric power status in the Indo-Pacific into substantive ties with the region’s pivotal actors. Outside of inking economic promotions, Macron doubled down on strategic messaging—presenting France as an alternative spouse for Asian nations amid escalating US-China rivalry. As Macron affirmed, Bangladesh is a key goal for innovative cooperation supplied its yearly seven% progress, demographic heft and raising international leadership on concerns like climate vulnerability. Primary Minister Sheikh Hasina noted deep alignment with Macron’s force for “strategic autonomy” throughout the Indo-Pacific crafted on cooperation, not coercion.
With France also elevating ties with regional heavyweights like India, the phase would seem established for synergistic partnerships upholding stability. “Based on democratic rules and the rule of law, in a area struggling with new imperialism, we want to suggest a 3rd way. All our tactic is focused on strengthening the independence and the strategic autonomy of our pals to give them the ‘freedom of sovereignty’,” Emmanuel Macron noted. In the joint press briefing with Key Minister Sheikh Hasina, he conveyed full endorsement of Dhaka’s self-reliant trajectory backed by solid economic fundamentals and democratic continuity.
Cooperation in Climate Alter
In a particular discussion with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the course of his September stop by, Emmanuel Macron extended an offer you of aid from France to Bangladesh to cooperate on an power changeover. France, alongside with other European nations, has currently undertaken equivalent endeavours with numerous acquiring nations, which include South Africa and Indonesia. In these scenarios, France has allocated hundreds of thousands and thousands of euros to facilitate the alter of these international locations from economies reliant on fossil fuels to economies centred about renewable electricity sources. In addition, Macron prolonged an invitation to Bangladesh to grow to be a member of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), a newly founded initiative aimed at supporting the preservation of earthly and aquatic species in various countries.
In addition, in December 2023, France declared its determination to signing a offer with Bangladesh to supply monetary aid for weather change adaptation and addressing hurt and reduction. In a major shift, the French Enhancement Company has fully commited a substantial investment of €1 billion ($1.one billion), whilst the IMF is expected to provide $one billion worth of unique drawing rights (SDRs) for extra financial loans. In this regard, Macron emphasized the significance of these international locations getting access to progressive environmentally friendly technologies, now deemed the driving power driving financial growth.
Long term Directions
Apart from geopolitical and financial developments, France has pledged to just take motion on the Rohingya genocide circumstance filed with the International Courtroom of Justice, as stated in the joint statement during Macron’s check out.
Having said that, as 2023 ended, the considerably elevated Bangladesh-France partnership throughout economic, local climate, strategic and societal realms feel poised for an even brighter upcoming. Creating on the momentum from President Macron’s breakthrough September visit, both nations can further more synergy on excellent infrastructure, space tech transfers, cleanse power transitions and maritime protection. With France backing Bangladesh’s regional leadership across weather justice and immigration troubles, much more collective initiatives upholding sustainability and human legal rights beckon.
In addition, with the strategic autonomy eyesight ever more binding both of those companions, 2024 and onward could witness major Bangladesh-France joint ventures in satellites, port connectivity, local weather resilience and defence tech. As Key Minister Sheikh Hasina affirmed, beyond transactions, it is the “trust and confidence” anchoring relations that bode properly for this consequential cooperation between two foremost Indo-Pacific democracies. Regardless of whether spurring regional security or showcasing inspirational climate leadership to the globe, far more record-making Bangladesh-France collaboration seemingly lies forward.
[Photo by Prime Minister’s Office of Bangladesh/Handout via Reuters]
The views and opinions expressed in this report are individuals of the writer.
Kawsar Uddin Mahmud is a Investigation Intern at the KRF Center for Bangladesh and Worldwide Affairs.
