On 31st of January 2024, SBBC had it’s first Executive Lounge in 2024 under the topic
”Aid to Trade Doing Business in Bangladesh – in the light of Sweden’s new aid policies and the Bangladesh change of status from LDC to Developing country”.
Our board member Mr Christer Dyrwoold gave words to a short welcome and introductory to the event and invited the first speaker to the floor.
Ambassador Mr Medhi Hasan found that the topics for today’s meeting are well timed and went on to talk about the development of Bangladesh as one of the fastest growing economies, with a young population and with the highest percentage of women in the work force among South Asian countries. Bangladesh seeks investments and want to focus on trade, preferably based on green transition through cooperation with stake holders and investors from Sweden and other relevant countries.
Ambassador Ms Johanna Brismar-Skoog presented Sweden’s new aid policies under the head line Doing business in Bangladesh. Johanna spoke about the long and warm relations between Sweden and Bangladesh and how the relations have increasingly focused on trade and commercial ties. How the new aid policies will affect the relations through the synergies between aid and trade, introducing new working methods and instruments. To promote sustainable development with a focus on the green and digital transition. To extend the mandates of relevant agencies such as Sida and Business Sweden to increase trade-related aid.
Desk officer Mr Rickard Nätjehall explained about the EU:s GSP system being the most generous in the world. Bangladesh benefits both with duty free access and no quota and utilize the GSP facilities more than any other LDC (Less Developed Country). With the new status as DAC (Developing Country), the GSP will be less favorable for Bangladesh. The GSP system is revised every 10th year and is now under negotiations between the governments and the EU parliament. Meanwhile the existing agreement is prolonged.
Head of international financing and procurement, Mr Oscar Carlsson from Business Sweden, presented Business Sweden & Aid and trade integration. Oscar started by presenting Business Sweden at a glance, its organization, tasks and history. Business Sweden’s assignment is to help Swedish companies grow global sales and to help foreign companies to invest and expand in Sweden. Special services are offered in various segments like SME:s by giving a springboard towards world growth. When it comes to Aid to Trade, the new strategy is still too new and the framework content is not fully in place.
Potential roles for Business Sweden could include tasks like Coordinating Team Sweden targeting major infrastructure projects in DAC including aid initiatives. Identify upcoming procurements in international organisations like EU and UN. Offer local support to companies involved or interested to be involved in aid initiatives.
Mr Christer Dyrwoold thanked all speakers on the behalf of SBBC.
The speeches were followed by an open discussion with many interesting questions and answers from the participants.
The event ended with food and refreshments and a possibility to mingle which seemed quite popular as many stayed to continue talks after the official programme.
Many participants expressed their satisfaction with the event as very interesting and rewarding.