Bangladesh’ foreign policy will emphasise on economic diplomacy as the government aims for graduating the country to higher mid-income state by 2021, says newly appointed Foreign Minister AKA Momen.

“My main focus will be enhancing economic diplomacy,” he told BSS as the Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina led administration took office for the third consecutive term on Monday (Jan 7).

An economist by background, Momen replaced AH Mahmood Ali as the foreign minister in the government. He has got State Minister Shahariar Alam as his deputy.

The first-time lawmaker, who was elected from a Sylhet seat, says he would engage the foreign office to do its part effectively to implement and expedite Hasina’s visions, reports the state news agency.

Momen said intense relations with neighbours like India and China would remain as a major policy while he would try to cultivate more effective ties with all major powers like the US, UK and France keeping intact Bangladesh’s integrity.

“In no time in the recent history our relations with India was so good, we will maintain it and rather take it to further,” said Momen, the former permanent representative to the UN.

Dhaka would try to reap benefits of its ties with China as it offered a huge amount as credit for Bangladesh’s development, he added.

Describing the Rohingya crisis as a major challenge, Momen said he prefers to call it an “economic issue”, says the BSS report.

“The issue needs to be solved as immediate as possible, otherwise it would affect stability of the entire region,” he was quoted by the news agency.

Momen, younger brother of former finance minister AMA Muhith, was elected as a lawmaker from Sylhet- 1 constituency.

Momen received PhD in economics and as well as MBA degree in business administration from the Northeastern University in Boston. He has also MPA in public administration, public policy and international economics from the Harvard University (Cambridge), LLB, MA in development economics and BA (Honors) from Dhaka University.

He has taught economics and business administration at Merrimack College, Salem State College, Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts, and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.