Bangladesh’s Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin on regional connectivity, maritime disputes, and regional security threats.
For 2015, The Diplomat presents “Diplomatic Access,” a series of exclusive interviews with ambassadors from the Asia-Pacific region. By talking to these diplomats, we’ll give readers a sense of each country’s perspective on various regional economic and security trends — from TPP to the Silk Road Economic Belt; from the South China Sea disputes to the Islamic State. Check out the whole series to date here.
In this interview, His Excellency Mohammad Ziauddin, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States, discusses regional connectivity, maritime disputes, and regional security threats.
The Diplomat: From Bangladesh’s perspective, what are the greatest threats facing the South Asian Region? What can we do to address these issues?
Amb. Ziauddin: The South Asian region, with a combined population of over one and a half billion people, is faced with a number of threats. Of these, poverty, climate change, and terrorism are the prominent ones. These threats cannot be overcome alone but with the combined effort of the countries in the region and with the support of the development partners. All would need to work together for common prosperity with a thrust on education and economic cooperation. Efforts in these two areas would ensure both domestic and regional economic development.
A factor for quickening development is good connectivity of roads, rail, water, and air in the region. Good connectivity could bolster vibrant trade and commerce among the countries. These in turn could help in creating an enlightened and prosperous populace thus ridding the region of extremism and terrorism, tackling climate change, and facing all other challenges threatening the region.
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