The French Embassy said the G20 Summit will allow Macron to maintain the constant dialogue with his counterparts from all continents in order to fight against the risks of partitioning of the world…reports Asian Lite News
French President Emmanuel Macron will address the issue of “partitioning of the world” at the upcoming G-20 summit to be held on September 9-10 and will emphasize strengthening French involvement in the Indo-Pacific region during his visit to Dhaka on September 10, according to the French government’s announcement on September 4.
Since his historic visit to Colombo in July, President Macron has been broadening the scope of French relations with South Asia, and his upcoming visits to India and Bangladesh underscore the growing focus on the Indo-Pacific region, where French historical presence dates back to the colonial era.
A press release from the French embassy in Dhaka stated, “The President of the French Republic will attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. He will then proceed to Dhaka, Bangladesh, on September 10 for a bilateral visit. The G20 Summit will allow the President of the French Republic to maintain the constant dialogue with his counterparts from all continents in order to fight against the risks of partitioning of the world… In Bangladesh, the President will continue the concrete declination of the French strategy in the Indo-Pacific.”
President Macron’s recent visit to Sri Lanka in late July included a historic stopover where he met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Before that, he toured Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu in the western Pacific region, focusing on the debt issues faced by these economies. While not explicitly singling out China, he criticized trends of “neo-imperialism” targeting Pacific island nations. In Colombo, Macron assured Wickremesinghe of support in restructuring Sri Lanka’s debt burden.
The upcoming visit to India for the G-20 summit and the brief stay in Bangladesh represent a different category of engagement, as India has been a strategic partner of France for a quarter of a century, and Dhaka holds financial and strategic appeal for Paris. Additionally, the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh has improved ties with France since President Francois Mitterrand’s visit to Dhaka in 1990, when France proposed a flood-prevention mechanism for Bangladesh.
The French embassy’s remarks released on Monday indicated that some of these longstanding discussions may be revisited during President Macron’s visit to Dhaka, stating, “Given that the country is particularly vulnerable to climate change, the President will reiterate France’s commitment to stand by Bangladesh on its humanitarian front, particularly in the face of recurring floods.”