Staff Reporter

Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen sought more strong and effective support of ASEAN leaders and ARF member states to ensure safe, sustainable, dignified and voluntary return of Rohingyas to their homeland during his speech in the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) held on Friday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Appreciating this year's theme, “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”, Foreign Minister Dr. Momen acknowledged strong and effective commitment of ASEAN for strengthening regionalism and multilateralism as well as ASEAN centrality in furthering confidence building through constructive dialogue.

While presenting an overview of Bangladesh's socio-economic development over the last decade, Foreign Minister highlighted effective COVID management, Disaster Risk Reduction, investment in sustainable infrastructure, contribution in UN peace keeping operation. He also cited Indo-Pacific Outlook" (IPO) of Bangladesh emphasizing on the peace centric foreign policy of Bangladesh, based on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s dictum ‘friendship to all, malice towards none’. In addition, he stressed the necessity of financing and technology transfer for effectively graduating from LDC, attaining SDGs, becoming a knowledge-based advanced economy and building a prosperous and climate-resilient delta in time.

He reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment and continued support to ARF activities aimed at collective security, peace and shared prosperity.

Foreign Minister also sought active support to Bangladesh’s candidacy for attaining Sectoral Dialogue Partner status of ASEAN by the next ASEAN Summit.

Foreign Ministers, Deputy Foreign Ministers and representatives of the 27 ARF Member States participated in the Meeting. The Meeting was chaired by Retno L. P. Marsudi, Foreign Minister of Indonesia and Chair of 30th ARF. Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul.Momen, M.P., led the Bangladesh delegation to the 30th ARF.

Foreign Minister Dr. Momen also  attended the reception hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. Moreover, he called on Mr. Joko Widodo, the President of the Republic of Indonesia.

The Meeting concluded by adopting seven outcome documents including 1) ARF Statement on the Commemoration of 30 Years of the ARF, 2) Statement of the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum on Strengthening Maritime Non- Traditional Security Cooperation, 3) ARF Statement on Nuclear Risk Reduction, 4) Guidance on Nuclear Risk Reduction: In Pursuit of a World Without Nuclear Weapons, 5) Collection of Documents Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN Regional Forum, 6) ARF Work Plan for Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime 2023-2025 and 7) Concept Paper on the Establishment of an Expert Group on Ferry Safety.