Bangladesh Seeks Enhanced Workforce Recruitment in Morocco
In a significant diplomatic engagement, President Mohammed Shahabuddin of Bangladesh has made a compelling appeal to Morocco to increase the recruitment of Bangladeshi skilled and semi-skilled workers. This request was articulated during the credential ceremony for Morocco's newly appointed Ambassador to Bangladesh, Lalla Boutina El Kerdoudi El Koulali, held at the presidential palace, Bangabhaban, on June 9. President Shahabuddin highlighted critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure development, textiles, and information and communication technology (ICT) as prime areas for potential collaboration between the two nations. He emphasized that both Bangladesh and Morocco possess enormous opportunities for enhancing trade and investment relations, as conveyed by his press secretary, Sarwar Alam.
During the ceremony, the Bangladeshi president also underscored the importance of facilitating high-level government exchanges and private-sector trade delegations to strengthen their bilateral relationship, which he described as "very excellent and steadily growing stronger." He reminisced about the historic visit of former Bangladeshi President Ziaur Rahman to Morocco in 1981 and expressed gratitude to the Moroccan people for honoring the late leader by naming a road in Rabat after him. Furthermore, Shahabuddin provided the ambassador with insights regarding his government's initiatives in human resource development and the recent accomplishments achieved in this domain.
Strengthening Diplomatic Ties and Economic Cooperation
This appeal for enhanced workforce recruitment comes on the heels of a broader diplomatic initiative aimed at fortifying ties between Bangladesh and Morocco. On May 19, Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, engaged with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat, where both parties committed to deepening cooperation in various areas, including trade, investment, agriculture, and skills development. Obaed articulated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh is eager to deepen its engagement with African nations and elevate its partnership with Morocco into a new era of cooperation and shared prosperity. In separate meetings with Morocco's Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, and Minister of Economic Inclusion, Younes Sekkouri, discussions revolved around the prospects for a free trade agreement, the exchange of business delegations, and collaboration in vocational training and artificial intelligence.
Moreover, during her visit, Obaed inaugurated the inaugural Bangladesh-Morocco bilateral business-to-business platform in Rabat, which successfully brought together approximately 30 Moroccan business leaders and a seven-member delegation from Bangladesh. A high-level Moroccan business delegation is anticipated to visit Bangladesh in November, further solidifying the economic ties between the two countries. As Bangladesh aggressively pursues new overseas labor markets, it has entered into memoranda of understanding with 18 nations for worker deployment, including notable countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. The government has set an ambitious target of sending around 1.4 million workers abroad in the forthcoming fiscal year, while simultaneously providing market-driven training in medium- to high-level skills to around 220,000 Bangladeshis under the Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Program (SICIP).
On the diplomatic front, President Shahabuddin extended his gratitude to Morocco for its support in international forums concerning the repatriation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals, expressing hope for the continuation of such support. In her introductory remarks, Ambassador El Koulali sought the president's cooperation in fulfilling her responsibilities in Bangladesh and was received with a formal guard of honor by the President Guard Regiment upon her arrival at Bangabhaban, with senior foreign ministry officials in attendance. The historical ties between Morocco and Bangladesh date back to the early 1970s, when they established formal diplomatic relations. Morocco recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation on July 13, 1973, and opened its embassy in Dhaka in December 1988, followed by the opening of the Bangladeshi embassy in Rabat in August 1990. Both nations are prominent members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Group of 77, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the United Nations, further enhancing their collaborative potential.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
