Economic diplomacy to be prioritised, says FM Momen
Newly appointed Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said he will give priority to economic diplomacy, among other important issues, as the government will be working to take the country to higher development trajectory.
"Economic diplomacy will be prioritised. That's what I can tell you," Dr Momen told UNB over phone after taking oath as Foreign Minister at Bangabhaban on Monday.
The government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working to achieve higher middle-income country by 2021 and achieve sustainable development goals by 2030.
The new Foreign Minister, however, did not want to elaborate right now his plans.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina picked Dr Momen, a globally well-connected man, as the new Foreign Minister in her cabinet replacing former Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali amid Bangladesh's growing importance in global arena.
The government is dealing with a number of crucial issues, including Rohingya crisis.
Dr Momen, younger brother of outgoing Finance Minister AMA Muhith, was elected MP from Sylhet 1 constituency in the December-30 national election.
He served as Ambassador and Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN in New York with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Peru.
Muhith, who got elected from the same constituency in 2014, did not contest the election this time allowing his younger brother Dr Momen to follow his footstep.
Momen, who has a PhD in economics and an MBA in business administration from the Northeastern University (Boston), came out successful contesting any election for the first time and subsequently made his way to the cabinet.
He has an MPA in public administration, public policy and international economics from the Harvard University (Cambridge), an LLB, an MA in development economics and a BA (Honors) from the University of Dhaka.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam will continue with the same portfolio for the second consecutive term, according to the Cabinet Division.
Following the formation of the all-party election-time government on November 21, 2013, outgoing Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali was appointed as the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Ali was reappointed the Minister for Foreign Affairs on February 26, 2014 following his election as a Member of Parliament in the 10th parliamentary election in 2014.
