ZCZC
BSS-38
SHAHRIAR-SEACO
Shahriar to visit Malaysia for SEACO
DHAKA, April 21, 2019 (BSS) – A high-level delegation led by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam will leave here tomorrow for Kuala Lumpur to invite Malaysian leaders for participating in the upcoming Southeast Asian Cooperation (SEACO) Forum’s launching ceremonies in June.
SEACO is conceived as a sub-regional initiative – connecting the countries in South and Southeast Asia – within the OIC framework – for eventually creating a free trade area where trade, technology, investment, finance and skills are shared and leveraged amongst the member states.
Currently, the member states include Bangladesh, Brunei Dar-es-Salam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Maldives.
Result of more than two decades of negotiations at the Islamic Conference – SEACO is crystallising in shape under the enlightened leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as its Chief Patron.
SEACO member states have a combined consumer market of more than four hundred million and a workforce of close to two hundred million.
It is spread across an area of 2.3 million square kilometres. With a combined GDP (on PPP basis) of $1.5 trillion, the current trade stands at a volume of $770 Billion.
The SEACO initiative is aimed towards creating public-private synergies across Infrastructure, Energy, Capital Markets, Banking, Tourism, Food Security, Manufacturing and Logistics and various sectors of the Blue Economy.
BSS/PR/TA/KU/1948 HRS