Morshed off to Islamabad to attend ACD dialogue
BDNEWS, Dhaka
Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan left for Pakistan yesterday to attend a two-day ministerial meeting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), where he will discuss plans for forming a fund to support infrastructure development and currency management in Asia. This will be the fourth ministerial meeting since the ACD ministers first met in Cha Am, Thailand in June 2002. ACD Ministerial Meetings provide a forum for dialogue for promotion of greater cooperation among Asian countries in trade, investment, finance, services and other specific areas. A major plan to float a US$ 40-50 billion fund will be discussed to outplay the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in supporting infrastructure development in the region, according to an official release. The meeting of the forum, which will begin in Islamabad tomorrow, is expected to discuss various issues relating to economic cooperation in Asia. Bangladesh, as a prime mover on poverty alleviation, will brief the meeting on development in this regard. The Bangladesh delegation includes Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Kamal Uddin Siddiqui and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan FA Shamim Ahmed. Presently, there are 26 ACD members from across Asia. The Islamabad Meeting will also provide Morshed with an opportunity to meet bilaterally with his counterparts from the participating member countries.
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