Sergio Gor proposes Bangladesh to join US-led Pax Silica initiative during meeting with PM Tarique Rahman

Speaking during a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister's Office in Tejgaon on Saturday morning, Gor discussed expanding economic cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Rahman underscored Bangladesh's strong interest in attracting greater investment in the information technology sector, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

In a separate post on X, Gor said the two leaders discussed opportunities to deepen economic ties between the United States and Bangladesh.

"We discussed the great opportunities between the U.S. and Bangladesh to strengthen economic cooperation and enhance our partnership. This is a priority for the United States, and working together we can achieve real results!" he wrote.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, Gor also conveyed the US government's confidence in Prime Minister Rahman's leadership, saying stability had returned to Bangladesh under his administration.

Rohingya crisis discussed

The meeting also focused on the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis.

Earlier during his visit, Gor toured a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, the world's largest refugee settlement.

Sharing details of the visit on X, he wrote: "Today I visited Rohingya refugee communities in Cox's Bazar with @USAmbBangladesh. This is the largest refugee camp in the world hosting over one million refugees. The United States has supported this camp and urges our partners around the world to increase their contributions."

Prime Minister Rahman thanked the US government and its people for their continued support, noting that more than half of the international assistance for Rohingya refugees comes from the United States, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

Gor stressed the need for a sustainable political solution to the crisis.

US eases Bangladesh travel advisory

On July 30, Gor met Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalil Rahman and announced that the US State Department had reassessed the security situation in the country.

He said the United States had lowered its travel advisory for Bangladesh from Level 3 ("Reconsider Travel") to Level 2 ("Exercise Increased Caution"), while noting that a few areas remain subject to additional restrictions.

"Accordingly, the United States overall travel advisory has been downgraded from Level 3 to Level 2. A few areas have additional restrictions and should be avoided. Great news!" he said.

What is Pax Silica?

Pax Silica is the US Department of State's flagship initiative focused on artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor supply chains and critical minerals security. It aims to strengthen economic security and build resilient technology supply chains among the United States and its allies and trusted partners.

The initiative promotes cooperation on advanced manufacturing, semiconductor production, AI infrastructure and the security of critical mineral supply chains.

Most recently, Italy signed the Pax Silica Declaration in Brindisi, officially joining the initiative as its 25th signatory.

According to the US State Department, Washington and Rome will work together to leverage Italy's advanced manufacturing capabilities to strengthen the resilience of critical minerals and semiconductor supply chains.