Bangladesh seeks Spain’s support for LDC graduation

Bangladesh on Monday sought Spain’s support at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its smooth graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.

The appeal was made when Spanish Ambassador to Bangladesh Gabriel María Sistiaga Ochoa de Chinchetru called on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at the foreign ministry here, said a ministry’s press release.

During the meeting, the state minister highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation and sought Madrid’s backing for Bangladesh’s post-LDC transition efforts.

Shama also reiterated the need for stronger and sustained international attention and support to resolve the protracted Rohingya crisis.

The Spanish envoy congratulated Bangladesh on its election to the presidency of the 81^st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the term 2026-2027.

Both sides underscored the importance of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and the European Union to boost trade and economic cooperation.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the mutually beneficial partnership between Bangladesh and Spain and explored avenues for expanding cooperation in trade, investment, supply chains, railway connectivity, education, skills development, migration, sports, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

They also discussed the possibility of holding bilateral consultations and arranging high-level visits to further strengthen bilateral relations.

The discussions also covered regional and global developments, with both sides emphasizing the importance of peace, stability and enhanced international cooperation.