Australian Parliamentary Secretary Hon Richard Marles MP,
to visit Bangladesh 12-13 November
The Hon Richard Marles MP
Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs the Hon Richard Marles MP will visit Bangladesh on 12 and 13 November for an official visit, immediately after attending the SAARC Summit in the Maldives where Australia is an observer.
Mr Marles will meet Ministers and officials to discuss Australia’s development cooperation program with Bangladesh, including strengthened engagement in the climate change sector.
Mr Marles and his delegation will travel to Char Kukri Mukri to view the Comprehensive Disaster Management Program - a Government of Bangladesh and UNDP program that Australia jointly supports in the coastal areas of Bangladesh highly susceptible to climate change impacts. He will also visit poverty alleviation projects in Dhaka.
Australia is committed to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. In 2011/12, the Australian Government will provide an estimate A$92 million in development assistance to Bangladesh. Australia’s aid program in Bangladesh has more than doubled since 2007/08 and is forecast to increase further as Australia increases its development assistance globally to 0.5% of GDP by 2015/16.
Senior officials from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AusAID in Canberra will accompany Mr Marles.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka, 9 November 2011
For further information please contact:
Senior Research and Communications Officer, AHC Dhaka
Tel: 8813105 (497), Mobile: 01711 880205 ; E-mail: [email protected]