Wednesday, April 6, 2011
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said his government will closely monitor the developments regarding Prof Muhammad Yunus' removal from Grameen Bank and take up the issue with the Bangladesh authorities in the next few days.
In a letter to Yunus, he also expressed his strong support to the founder of Grameen Bank.
Friends of Grameen, a voluntary organisation established to promote microcredit activities of Grameen Bank and its affiliates, circulated the contents of the letter published in the French press yesterday.
"Please allow me to reiterate, once again, how much your model of a "social business" bank, which has enabled poor people in your country to widely access credit, is admired and respected in France," Sarkozy wrote.
"This has actually done a lot for the prestige and reputation of Bangladesh across the globe: the world needs innovative projects to fight poverty and inequalities, and the creation of the Grameen Bank was an audacious initiative, which has been an ongoing source of inspiration for the international community," he said.
"I know the difficulties you are going through at the present moment. I trust the institutions of your country will find a fair resolution to these. The French government will closely monitor the situation and will definitely address the issue with Bangladeshi authorities over the next few days."
In the same letter, Sarkozy answered to Yunus' proposal to enlarge the composition of G2O group to allow more developing countries to participate in.
"Let me thank you for your proposal of enlarging the G20. As you know, I was in favour, as early as the first meeting of G20, of a broader opening to non-member countries, in particular those less economically advanced…With regards to your country, which you are warmly advocating for, we could consider having Bangladesh (together with other developing nations) participate in specific events organised by the G20 French Presidency, despite the fact we cannot extend an invitation to Cannes."
"I would be happy to welcome you personally to Paris again this year to continue the work of the G20 French Presidency on the issue of poverty and social exclusion, before the Cannes Summit of November 3-4," Sarkozy added.
PRODI FOR AMICABLE SOLUTION
Romano Prodi, former president of European Commission, has written to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, expressing hope she would be able to reach an amicable solution to Prof Muhammad Yunus issue.
In the letter, 71-year-old Prodi voiced support for the Nobel laureate and his visionary work in eradicating poverty from the country, reads a statement of the Grameen Bank.
The letter from the two-time former prime minister of Italy came as several governments including France and Spain have expressed concern about Yunus' removal by Bangladesh Bank from the position of Grameen Bank managing director.
Prodi said along with dedicated institutions like Grameen Bank and a visionary person like Yunus, the prime minister can definitely wipe out poverty from Bangladesh and set examples for the developing world.
He hoped the prime minister's intervention will lead to a solution and Bangladesh will move forward as a prosperous country, according to the statement.
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