France, Germany pledge help

The foreign ministers of Germany and France yesterday promised to stay alongside Bangladesh in its fight against climate change, and called for joint efforts to stop global warming.

They also emphasised the need for addressing the root cause of climate disruptions for the lasting protection of victims across the globe.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who arrived here yesterday morning for a one-day trip, were speaking at separate programmes prior to wrapping up their visit.

In the run-up to the climate conference COP 21 in Paris, their joint visit to Bangladesh, a country heavily threatened by climate disruptions, could be viewed as a crucial step in global climate battle. 

"It's also clear to me if we want to offer lasting protection to the people of Patuakhali or elsewhere in this planet, we must address the root causes of climate change and we must act together to stop global warming now," said the German minister while addressing a function marking the topping-off ceremony of the Franco-German Embassy in the capital's Baridhara.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and diplomats of the three countries were present at the programme.

"It's a new symbol. The building we are inaugurating today symbolises our unique friendship in a unique partnership we will build on to address joint challenges ahead of us," said Steinmeier.

It is the first embassy jointly built and operated by France and Germany. From the summer of 2016, it will serve as a joint workplace of German and French diplomats and their locally employed Bangladeshi colleagues.

On the Paris conference, the German foreign minister said it's really a key opportunity that must not be missed.

He said Bangladesh is a country with high opportunities, and despite having a lot of problems, people here are very positive. "It's good that Europe could be at your side."

Appreciating Bangladesh's commitment to climate battle, French Foreign Minister Fabius later at a press conference said, "You are not responsible but you are having the consequences. You are already doing great things."

On a legally binding climate agreement, he said some countries have problems on this notion due to the ratification process in their parliaments. "We are working to find a formula which can be accepted by all."

The German foreign minister was scheduled to attend the briefing but he could not make it because of his flight schedule.

On the promise of $100 billion climate fund every year, Fabius said, "Now we have a feeling that it can be achieved …" Surprisingly, he added, no study has been done yet to know the terms of financing.  

On the Franco-German Embassy, he said it shows the great symbol of friendship of the two countries who are working very hard through projects, finance, technology and common ideas on how to fight climate disruptions.

The two ministers took a boat trip on the river Bangshi to the northwest of Dhaka. It was organised by the French-Bangladeshi NGO "Friendship", working for 14 years to help address the needs of marginalised communities suffering from climate change impact.

After the boat trip, Fabius and Steinmeier called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and held a delegation-level meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali.