UNB: Outgoing Switzerland Ambassador to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard has said that as a solid and agile development partner, Switzerland will work with all stakeholders in Bangladesh and its multifaceted co-operation will take on crucial issues to make the latter’s graduation from least-developed status “smooth, inclusive and sustainable”.
“The country is now at a crossroads with the upcoming graduation from the LDCs group. Switzerland welcomes this exciting development,” she told UNB in an exclusive interview.
Nonetheless, the ambassador said, this graduation carries with it both opportunities and challenges, and it will be essential to prepare for post-graduation scenarios – leaving no one behind, addressing structural issues and making the private sector more competitive.
“Being a country vulnerable to climate change, managing climate and disaster risks is another pressing challenge,” she said.
Evaluating the bilateral relations today, the Swiss envoy said 50 years is quite a long time but it is also only the beginning.
“Since the birth of your nation, we have grown a solid, diversified and robust partnership. This relation has evolved, and I am really glad when I see where we are today and also where we are heading,” she said.