A two-member delegation, led by the Assistant State Secretary of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ambassador Johannes Matyassy, arrived Dhaka on Friday on a four-day visit to discuss bilateral issues with Bangladesh.

The second round of the bilateral political consultation between Bangladesh and Switzerland will be held in Dhaka on March 1 to review their current status of relations.

Additional Secretary (Bilateral) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Ambassador Mizanur Rahman and Johannes Matyassy will lead their respective delegations during the consultation.

Apart from reviewing the current status of bilateral relations, the two countries will discuss ways to further strengthen economic, investment, development and cultural cooperation during the consultations, according to officials at the Foreign Ministry and the Switzerland Embassy in Dhaka.

A number of new areas of possible cooperation, such as renewable energy, will be explored.

The two sides will also exchange views on human rights and issues of regional and international importance.

Ambassador Matyassy will also meet Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, and civil society representatives and the business community.

He will visit the project areas of the ‘Community Based Climate Adaptation by Coastal Afforestation’ project in Barguna which is co-funded by the Swiss government.

Bangladesh and Switzerland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. Bangladesh is a priority country for the Swiss development cooperation.

Apart from the growing trade, cultural exchanges between the two countries are also increasing. The first round of the consultation took place in 2013.