Argentine FM due Dhaka today

Staff Reporter :
The Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, Santiago Andrés Cafiero, is set to arrive in Dhaka on Monday for a two-day visit to discuss on array of issues including the formal announcement of reopening Argentine Embassy in Dhaka.
During his visit, he is scheduled to discuss trade and investment issues with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Dr. AK Abdul Momen at the State Guest House Jamuna in the evening, Foreign Ministry sources said.
The Embassy was previously closed in 1978 by the military junta that ruled Argentina, and all diplomatic operations
including visas have since been handled by the Embassy in India. Foreign ministry source said that a space has already been earmarked in Banani area for the Argentine Embassy and it will be inaugurated on Monday afternoon amid the presence of envoys of different missions in Dhaka.
“There is also the possibility of signing visa exemption agreements on diplomatic and official passports, MoUs on cooperation in agriculture and diplomatic training academies of the two countries,” Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin recently told the reporters.
Apart from this, the two countries are working on a memorandum of understanding on football related matters, she said.
Currently, bilateral trade between the two countries stood at around $900 million last year, with a large trade surplus for Argentina.
Apart from holding meeting with Foreign Ministry, the Argentine Foreign Minister is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi.
The Argentine delegation is also expected to enjoy a friendly football match between the junior teams of the two countries, as well as meeting with football officials.
The visiting delegation is also expected to discuss Bangladesh’s inclusion in South America’s powerful economic alliance Mercosur, which originally comprised Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Finally, the Argentine delegation will also discuss on the import of soybean oil and wheat from Argentina