Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles, MP, will make an official visit here on November 12-13, immediately after attending the SAARC Summit in the Maldives where Australia is an observer.
During the visit, the parliamentary secretary will meet several ministers and high officials to discuss Australia’s development cooperation program with Bangladesh, including the climate change sector, an Australian High Commission press release said in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Mr. Marles and his delegation will travel to Char Kukri Mukri to view the multi donor funded the government’s Comprehensive Disaster Management 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.
Senior officials from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AusAID of Canberra will accompany Marles, the statement added.
In 2011-12 fiscal year, the Australian Government is providing an estimated 92 million Australian dollars to Bangladesh under its development assistance program. Australia’s aid program in Bangladesh has more than doubled since 2007-08 fiscal.
BBN/SSR/AD-09Nov11-7:48 pm (BST)
