Further strengthening "excellent" bilateral ties and boosting cooperation on migration, energy and defence were at the centre of talks Friday in Rome between Italy's foreign ministry secretary-general Ettore Francesco Sequi and Bangladesh’s envoy to Italy, Shameen Ahsan.
The talks were "an opportunity to assess the excellent relations between Rome and Dhaka and to consider strengthening bilateral cooperation on migration-related issues and on sectors of common interest, such as energy and defence," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The talks came ahead of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and Bangladesh on 12 February 1972 - immediately after the South Asian nation gained independence.
"During the meeting, the Secretary-General extended to Ambassador Ahsan Minister (foreign minister Luigi) Di Maio’s warm greetings to Abdul Momem, foreign minster of Bangladesh," the statement said.
Italy was one of the very first countries to recogniseBangladesh and, subsequently, among the first to support its application for membership of the United Nations, the statement noted.
