Bangladesh
Overall Vision and Strategic Direction
Denmark actively supports Bangladesh in its transition from Least Developed Country to becoming a Developing Country. Given Bangladesh’s sustained high economic growth and increased self-reliance, Danish business opportunities in Bangladesh will expand, and over the mid- to long-term the focus of the Danish-Bangladeshi partnership will shift from aid to trade. During the period covered by this country policy paper, focus will be on consolidating the foundation for moving towards a strategic engagement focused on political and commercial cooperation underpinned by development cooperation.
Denmark’s overall vision for the partnership with Bangladesh is to support Bangladesh’s graduation process and development towards sustainable and inclusive growth as a basis for deepening and widening political and commercial ties; and to promote freedom, security and prosperity, focusing on steps to widen the democratic space and enhance the respect for human rights.
The vision will be realised through the following four strategic objectives of the partnership:
- Contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth
- Enhance resilience of selected vulnerable and marginalised groups, including Rohingya refugees and affected host communities as well as groups prone to irregular migration
- Promote shared values in terms of democracy, good governance, human rights and gender equality
- Expand and diversify economic and commercial relations between Denmark and Bangladesh.
These strategic objectives align with Denmark’s Strategy for development cooperation and humanitarian action, “The World 2030”, and will address all its four strategic concerns. Furthermore, the strategic objectives align with Bangladesh’s seventh Five Year Plan, “Accelerating Growth – Empowering Citizens” (2016-2020), which sets an ambitious agenda for the journey towards middle-income country status. Finally, the SDGs will serve as a globally recognized framework for the partnership.
