Foreign-Affairs
Bangladesh urgently seeks 1.6mn AstraZeneca doses from UK
After its request to the United States, Bangladesh has urged the United Kingdom (UK) to help it by providing vaccine doses to meet its emergency needs as the second dose vaccination is disrupted in Bangladesh.
"I’m not asking for too much, I’m only asking for 1.6m AstraZeneca doses that they have, they should immediately disburse those to Bangladesh so that people can have their second dose," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said in an interview with ITV News.
Dr Momen said his message to the UK government is that they should be more sincere. "They should help their Commonwealth member states."
He said Bangladesh is a good friend of the UK and so many Bangladeshis contribute to the UK economy. "… so the UK should come forward."
Speaking to ITV News, Dr Momen described the vaccine situation in Bangladesh as a "crisis", adding: "We’re desperate."Bangladesh entered into a deal with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to purchase 30 million doses of a potential vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca for Covid-19.
Read: Rozina to get fair judgement: FM tells CNN
Bangladesh was supposed to get five million doses of the vaccine per month as the SII and Bangladesh’s Beximco Pharma signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for priority delivery of the vaccine doses.
Bangladesh sought at least 3 million doses of the vaccine under the agreement to address the immediate demand in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has so far received only 7 million of Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine doses produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) through its contract. Bangladesh also received 3.3 million doses of the vaccine as a bilateral partnership gift.
"India is facing a very critical situation, very alarming… They’re finding it difficult, we can understand it,” Dr Momen said. "So, they’re failing to distribute the vaccine they promised to send us."
He told ITV News that the Bangladeshi government has appealed directly to the UK government for these required doses, but the request was ultimately rejected on the grounds that the UK government did not have the capacity.
"We’ve a belief that if the [UK] government tries, it can do it because they’ve the capacity," the Bangladesh Foreign Minister said.
Although Covid-19 daily cases in Bangladesh are relatively low and, according to the Foreign Minister, measures were in place to prevent the spread of the Indian variant into Bangladesh, the identification of six cases in Bangladesh earlier this month has concerned some experts.
On Friday, the Foreign Minister reached out to global media to let the world know that Bangladesh desperately looks for vaccines desperately and is ready to accept any shipment desperately from any country, including the United States.
"We need it desperately. If any shipment comes, we’ll take it right away," he told CNN in a live interview.
Dr Momen said the big problem is that a large number of people in Bangladesh who took the first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca could not get the second dose. "Because we don't have any more. We can't give them the second dose. That’s creating a lot of problems for us," said the Foreign Minister.
He said the government of Bangladesh is trying to get vaccines from other places and they were delighted when Bangladesh heard that the US will be distributing some of the AstraZeneca vaccines that they have.
Dr Momen said he had requested the US government and sent a letter to his counterpart US Secretary of State. "They agreed to give us by and large. "
Read: S Korean envoy shares historical documents with FM Momen
Now the problem is, he said, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking a long time to approve the export of AstraZeneca.
Dr Momen said they are thankful to US President Joe Biden for announcing that the USA will be distributing some of the AstraZeneca vaccine to developing countries, pretty large numbers - 60 million plus 20 around - 80 million vaccines. "This is good news for us."
Exploring Multiple Options On Thursday, Dr Momen said the government is making its best efforts to get vaccines connecting multiple countries - the United States, China, Canada and Russia the UK - apart from its continuous request to India to meet Bangladesh's urgent needs.
He said the discussion with China is almost at the final stage while they are expecting a positive reply from the US on the vaccine front.
While talking to reporters at State guesthouse Padma, Dr Momen said there are people who could not take the second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine due to its short supply from India.
He also highlighted the ongoing discussion with Russia. "Hope, everything will be settled within a week."
Responding to a question, the Foreign Minister said they came to know unofficially that Bangladesh is not there on the priority list of the USA as there is a lesser number of deaths in Bangladesh.
"I didn't like the idea. They (US) don't think it's a crisis in Bangladesh," he said, adding that it is an emergency issue for Bangladesh.
US State Department Coordinator for Global COVID Response and Health Security Gayle E Smith has said the United States is going to be the largest sharer of vaccines putting 80 million additional doses into the mix.
"I can’t tell you at this point what the allocation is going to be per country. We’ll have information for you later on. And as I think I mentioned, we are also, with respect to India and also India’s neighbours, mounting an emergency humanitarian response given the surges that are ongoing there," she said.
In a telephonic media briefing on Wednesday, Smith referred to an announcement by US President Joe Biden earlier this week that they will be sharing 20 million vaccine doses from their own stocks in addition to the 60 million AstraZeneca doses that were announced previously by the President.
"So that means we’re going to be putting 80 million additional vaccine doses into the mix, making us the largest sharer of vaccines thus far," she said.
The US official said given the surge there, India has been a major priority for the US. "We’ve delivered $100 million in emergency assistance; mobilised with the American private sector a pretty amazing response, again, from the American private sector and public, and we’ll continue to do so."
Read: More countries approached for vaccines; talks with China at final stage: FM
Smith said she does not have anything to say yet on the ultimate allocations, but they will reach out and make sure that all are informed when those decisions are made.
Responding to a question on India, Dr Momen said India did never say that they will not give vaccines to Bangladesh but failed to deliver.
He said India was requested to provide vaccine doses to Bangladesh as a gift to meet its emergency need if India has an embargo on export.
"I should say we had a very positive discussion (with my Indian counterpart," Dr Momen said.
China proposes setting up int’l forum on vaccine cooperation
China has proposed setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world.
Chinese President Xi Jinping made the proposal at the Global Health Summit on Friday.
He said China will provide an additional US$3 billion in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries.
Also read: Covid vaccine: China to send additional 6 lakh doses as gift
Having already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, President Xi said, China will provide still more doses to the best of its ability.
He mentioned that China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them.
Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter, President Xi said.
Covid vaccine: China to send additional 6 lakh doses as gift
China is preparing a the second batch of 600,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh.
The announcement came Friday, just nine days after the arrival of the first batch of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine as a gift.
China says the move fully reflects that it attaches great importance to the friendly relations between the two countries.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday to this end.
Read Bangladesh, China, others call for avoiding vaccine nationalism
At the request of Bangladesh, it was announced that China would handover the second batch of 600,0000 vaccine doses to Bangladesh.
China pays close attention to the latest situation of the epidemic in Bangladesh, the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka said.
At this critical time in Bangladesh’s fight against the epidemic, China is concerned about the urgent need for vaccinating its Bangladeshi friends, to help the overcomes the huge demand for domestic and foreign orders and the shortage of vaccine supply, it said.
The arrival of the second batch vaccine will definitely help the Bangladeshi government and people build a strong line of defense against the epidemic, China said.
Also read: Govt approves proposal to import Sinofarm vaccine
In the future, China is willing to provide necessary support for Bangladesh and South Asian countries to fight the epidemic, deepen anti-epidemic cooperation with Bangladesh, and effectively protect the health and security of their citizens.
The Chinese Foreign Minister assured of providing all kinds of support to ensure continuation of "stable supply" of COVID vaccines to Bangladesh.
Dr Momen requested his Chinese counterpart to take an initiative for coproduction of vaccines in Bangladesh.
The Chinese Foreign Minister said they will encourage the Chinese companies to go for coproduction of vaccines with Bangladesh.
Read WHO team working with Chinese vaccine producers ahead of potential emergency use: WHO director-general
He said China keeps up its support with Malaysia, Turkey, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates on vaccine coproduction.
UNICEF calls for $164mn to procure oxygen, medical supplies in S Asia
UNICEF urgently requires $164 million to procure oxygen and testing supplies, medical equipment, personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control material to help save lives amid a deadly wave of COVID-19 across South Asia.
The region, home to almost 2 billion people, accounts for half of the known new infections globally. Over three new COVID-19 infections are being recorded every second.
Mortality in the region is rising sharply, with more than three people dying every minute due to COVID-19.
“The sheer scale and speed of this new surge of COVID-19 is outstripping countries’ abilities to provide life-saving treatment,” said George Laryea-Adjei, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, on Friday.
“Hospitals are overwhelmed, there is an acute lack of oxygen and other critical medical supplies, and there is a real risk of fragile health systems collapsing.”
During the first wave of the pandemic, an estimated 228,000 children and 11,000 mothers across South Asia died due to severe disruptions in essential health services.
“We’re now looking at a surge that is four times the size of the first. We need to do everything within our power to prevent and treat COVID-19, while keeping the critical health care services that children and mothers so heavily depend on running,” Laryea-Adjei said.
On May 18, India recorded the highest number of daily deaths at 4,529.
Neighbouring Nepal has experienced case positivity rates as high as 47 percent; Sri Lanka and the Maldives are recording new highs in COVID-19 cases and deaths on a daily basis; and hospitals in the capital of the Maldives are reaching full capacity.
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bhutan could all face similar devastating surges, UNICEF warned.
In almost all countries in the region, with the exception of the Maldives and Bhutan, fewer than 1 in 10 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
The funding requirement includes $32 million for oxygen equipment including on-site oxygen-generating plants for hospitals, portable oxygen concentrators and cylinders, $40 million for medical and diagnostic equipment including RT-PCR and RNA extraction machines, $60 million for masks, face shields, gloves, gowns, visors, and other personal protective equipment needed to keep health and frontline workers safe, $28 million for infection prevention and control including handwashing stations, sanitiser, autoclaves, laundry machines and hygiene supplies required to deliver essential health care safely and $3.7 million for therapeutics and medical supplies, including nutrition support and consumables.
The critical health supplies will not only save lives, but also help build stronger health-care systems across South Asia ahead of potential future waves of the pandemic.
In addition, the supplies will also be used to strengthen healthcare services for women and children: improving access to oxygen therapy can directly contribute to fighting childhood pneumonia in the region, and RT-PCR test machines that identify COVID-19 can also help detect TB, HIV, HPV and streptococcus.
“This deadly surge in South Asia threatens to reverse global gains against the COVID-19 pandemic and roll back hard-earned progress on child and maternal survival,” Laryea-Adjei said. “We’re asking for support to help make sure this doesn’t happen.”
In addition to delivering life-saving COVID-19 supplies, UNICEF’s COVID-19 response in South Asia also includes: reaching families with information and resources to prevent infection and building vaccine confidence; increasing access to safe water and sanitation; cash assistance for the most vulnerable families; supporting efforts to keep children learning, including through engaging the public and private sectors; and providing mental health and protection support for children and young people directly affected by the pandemic.
Bangladesh elected ILO Covid-19 Technical Committee chair
Bangladesh has been elected chair of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Technical Committee on Covid-19 to steer negotiations on a draft Covid-19 outcome document that was formulated through a discussion of the organisation's member states recently.
The document will be adopted in the upcoming 109th International Labour Conference (ILC) to be held virtually during June 3-19.
Bangladesh played a leadership role as the representative of the Asia Pacific Group in the drafting of the document.
To seek the views and consent of the member states on the draft Covid-19 outcome document, the final round of negotiation will take place before the upcoming ILC.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh Permanent Mission in Geneva Md Mustafizur Rahman will chair the negotiations.
In the context of the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the world of work, the ILO organised a long discussion Thursday in the quest for an inclusive, sustainable and human-centred recovery from the pandemic.
Bangladesh reaches out to int'l media as it seeks vaccines desperately
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday reached out to the global media to let the world know that Bangladesh looks for vaccines desperately and is ready to accept any shipment desperately from any country, including the United States.
"We need it desperately. If any shipment comes, we’ll take it right away," he told CNN in a live interview.
Dr Momen said the big problem is that a large number of people in Bangladesh who took the first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca could not take the second dose.
"Because we don't have any more. We can't give them the second dose. That’s creating a lot of problems for us," said the Foreign Minister.
Read: More countries approached for vaccines; talks with China at final stage: FM
He said the government of Bangladesh is trying to get vaccines from other places and they were delighted when Bangladesh heard that the US will be distributing some of the AstraZeneca vaccines that they have.
Dr Momen said he had requested the US government and sent a letter to his counterpart US Secretary of State. "They agreed to give us by and large."
Now the problem is, he said, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking a long time to approve the export of AstraZeneca.
Dr Momen said they are thankful to US President Joe Biden for announcing that the USA will be distributing some of the Astrazeneca vaccine doses to developing countries, pretty large numbers - 60 million plus 20 around - 80 million doses. "This is good news for us."
Exploring Multiple Options
On Thursday, Dr Momen said the government is giving its best efforts to get vaccines connecting multiple countries - the United States, China, Canada, Russia and the UK apart from its continuous request to India to meet Bangladesh's urgent needs.
He said the discussion with China is almost at the final stage while they are expecting a positive reply from the US on the vaccine front.
While talking to reporters at State guesthouse Padma, Dr Momen said there are people who could not take the second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine due to short supply from India.
He also highlighted the ongoing discussion with Russia. "Hope, everything will be settled within a week."
Responding to a question, the Foreign Minister said they came to know unofficially that Bangladesh is not in the priority list of the USA as there is a lesser number of deaths in Bangladesh.
"I didn't like the idea. They (US) don't think it's a crisis in Bangladesh," he said, adding that it is an emergency issue for Bangladesh.
US State Department Coordinator for Global COVID Response and Health Security Gayle E. Smith has said the United States is going to be the largest sharer of vaccine jabs putting 80 million additional vaccine doses into the mix.
"I can’t tell you at this point what the allocation is going to be per country. We’ll have information for you later on. And as I think I mentioned, we are also, with respect to India and also India’s neighbors, mounting an emergency humanitarian response given the surges that are ongoing there," she said.
In a telephonic media briefing on Wednesday, Smith referred to an announcement by US President Joe Biden earlier this week that they will be sharing 20 million vaccine doses from their own stocks in addition to the 60 million AstraZeneca doses that were announced previously by the President.
"So that means we’re going to be putting 80 million additional vaccines into the mix, making us the largest sharer of vaccine doses thus far," she said.
Read:S Korean envoy shares historical documents with FM Momen
The US official said given the surge there, India has been a major priority for the US. "We’ve delivered $100 million in emergency assistance; mobilised with the American private sector a pretty amazing response, again, from the American private sector and public, and we’ll continue to do so."
Smith said she does not have anything to say yet on the ultimate allocations, but they will reach out and make sure that all are informed when those decisions are made.
Responding to a question on India, Dr Momen said India did never say that they will not give vaccine doses to Bangladesh but failed to deliver.
He said India was requested to provide vaccine doses to Bangladesh as a gift to meet its emergency need if India has an embargo on export.
"I should say we had a very positive discussion (with my Indian counterpart," Dr Momen said.
Rozina to get fair judgement: FM tells CNN
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday said Prothom Alo senior correspondent Rozina Islam will get fair treatment and judgement, emphasising that Bangladesh’s judiciary is very independent.
“Bangladesh’s judiciary is very independent, she [Rozina] will get fair treatment, and judgment… everybody. We don't want anyone to suffer," he told CNN in a live interview, mentioning that it is a legal issue and in the process of that they do not intend to interfere with it.
Read: Order on journalist Rozina Islam’s bail Sunday
Dr Momen said there is law in the country and they honour the law, and that is why they do not want to talk about it much since it is in the court. “Rozina will get a totally fair judgment… no doubt about that."
On Thursday, Dr Momen said it is very regrettable what happened to journalist Rozina Islam and there is nothing to hide by the government.
"It's very regrettable. The government of Sheikh Hasina is a media-friendly one. We’ve nothing to hide. I know, as Foreign Ministry, we’ve to face it. Many will raise questions. We don't want such incidents," Dr Momen said.
He appreciated the role of the media for unearthing many stories, including the pillow saga and Shahed Karim issues.
"The government has taken action (after those stories are published). You (media) help the government. You’re part of the government. You’re helping us (govt) much. We thank you," he said.
Dr Momen referred to what ruling Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said on Wednesday and appreciated Hanif's remarks.
Read: It's very regrettable; nothing to hide: FM about Rozina issue
Hanif said the incident that took place in the Secretariat with journalist Rozina Islam was undesirable and that the country would benefit if strict action was taken against the corrupt instead of filing cases against journalists.
Dr Momen said this should have been managed by the Health Ministry.
Referring to what his other colleagues said, Dr Momen said Rozina will get justice. "It's unexpected."
Rozina is accused under sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and sections 379 and 411 of the Penal Code, for allegedly attempting to “collect sensitive government documents and taking photos of them” at the Health Ministry.
On May 18, a magistrate court turned down the police department’s request for a 5-day remand and instead sent her to jail.
Rozina was confined to a room for nearly six hours as she went to the Health Ministry on May 17 when she fell ill and fainted. She was then taken to Shahbagh Police Station.
Read: Drop all "oppressive charges" against Rozina: HRW
On Thursday, the Human Rights Watch said Bangladesh authorities should drop all the "oppressive charges" against renowned journalist Rozina Islam.
Rozina's colleagues believe she was detained over her reporting on corruption and mismanagement in the public health sector, including the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, said the HRW.
Helping poor in Bangladesh: WB approves $600 mn for 2 projects
The World Bank has approved $600 million for two projects in Bangladesh to help over 1.75 million poor and vulnerable populations.These two projects will include youths, women, disadvantaged groups, and returnee migrant workers to improve employability and livelihood opportunities and build their resilience against future shocks like the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a WB media release.The $300 million Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) Project will equip more than 1 million youths and workers with skills needed for the future of work.
Read: 3 legal luminaries appointed from Bangladesh to WB's arbitration courtThe project will particularly support youths, women and disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities to become skillful and to connect them to the labour market.The project will also support industries to retrain their workers during and after the pandemic and thus accelerate recovery.The $300 million Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement (RELI) Project will help improve the livelihoods of about 750,000 poor and vulnerable rural people across 3,200 villages in 20 districts.
Read: Govt, WB ink $250 mn deal to help Bangladesh create more jobsBoth projects have a maturity of 30 years, including a grace period of 5 years.“In Bangladesh, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the livelihoods of thousands of people, particularly, female workers, youths, and returnee migrant workers,” acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Dandan Chen said.
He said these two projects will help empower and mobilise rural poor people, prepare them for the future job market and support entrepreneurial opportunities, especially for women and disadvantaged groups.
Read Funding for vaccine procurement earmarked in deals with WB, ADB: Dr MeerjadyWorld Bank Team Leader for the Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) Project Md. Mokhlesur Rahman said that Building on the success of earlier projects, ‘STEP’ and ‘NARI’,’ the project will help modernise and build resilience of the technical vocational education and training sector of Bangladesh.It will set up an international standard model polytechnic in the country.“Further, the project will benefit the informal sector workers through expanding the ‘Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)’ program.”
Read: Bangladesh economy shows early signs of recovery amid uncertainties, says WB reportWorld Bank Team Leader for Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement (RELI) Project Jean Saint-Geours said the project will provide immediate and tailored livelihood support to rural poor people for responding to urgent needs such as the Covid-19 pandemic, improve their ability to cope with future shocks and help them come out of poverty through income-generating activities and skill development.The project will help organise village groups, build their capacity and finance community plans for savings and micro-loans, as well as climate-resilient infrastructure, giving priority to the poor and extreme poor, women, and youth.With over 90 percent female beneficiaries, the project will also support entrepreneurship and encourage crop diversification, good nutritional practices, while raising awareness of climate risk adaptation and mitigation, the spread of diseases, and gender-based violence.
Read Bangladesh’s GDP to increase by 3.6 % in 2020-2021, WB forecasts
Harnessing assistive technology for Persons with Disabilities in South Asia
Facebook and GSMA have hosted a virtual industry discussion marking the tenth anniversary of the Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) and to drive more collaborations on disabilities inclusion in South Asia.
The panelists included Vashkar Bhattacharjee, National Consultant for Accessibility, a2i, Aspire to Innovate programme of the ICT Division in Bangladesh.
There were also representatives from Facebook, G3ict, Dialog Axiata in Sri Lanka, and DeafTawk in Pakistan.
Read: Realise rights of all persons with disabilities: UN
Assistive technologies (ATs) are systems and services designed to improve access for persons with disabilities, many of whom are often excluded and marginalised in society, said a media release on Friday.
There are an estimated 690 million persons with disabilities in the Asia Pacific region and ATs are still largely inaccessible to them.
Action is required to reach this underserved segment of the population, drive innovation, and address the physical and social barriers.
Speaking at the event, Michael Nique, Senior Director, GSMA Assistive Tech, said, “Removing the barriers faced by persons with disabilities requires informed action from all stakeholders.
Tech and mobile industry, for example, need to consider accessibility needs and methods early on, and increase the number of persons with disabilities in the development and testing process. By doing so, we can make meaningful change and help ensure no one is left behind in an increasingly digital world.”
Panelists at the webinar agreed that digital innovations could bridge the access gap to ATs and promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
For example, based on the GSMA Intelligence Survey 2019, 41 percent of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh are mobile owners, of which 55 percent consider that mobile helps them with their daily tasks, 67 percent say it provides them a feeling of safety and 53 percent think it gives convenient access to useful information.
Read: Palak unveils software to bridge jobseekers with disabilities and employers
Monica Desai, Global Head of Connectivity and Access Policy, Facebook, shared some of the company’s recent initiatives and innovations in this area, including the GAAD pledge that Facebook took last year and the commitment to making the React Native open source framework fully accessible.
“We, at Facebook, believe that access is an opportunity and when everyone is connected, we all benefit. Our goal is to make it possible for anyone, regardless of ability, to access the information and connections that happen on Facebook. We are excited to continue advancing accessibility and building collaborations to make more progress on inclusion for persons with disabilities in South Asia, and around the world,” said Desai.
Panelists also discussed how the current global health crisis presented immense challenges acutely felt by persons with disabilities, but it also brought advancements in accessibility.
Dhaka seeks strong global resolve to end Palestinian crisis permanently
Permanent Representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has urged the international community to take urgent and decisive action to resolve the longstanding crisis in Palestine.
She was speaking at the joint debate on the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine on Thursday convened by the President of the UN General Assembly.
Ambassador Fatima informed the General Assembly that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a letter to Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas, denounced the abhorrent acts of violence against innocent civilians of Palestine, including women and children.
Also read: Hasina a household name in Palestine: Envoy
Quoting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unflinching commitment towards realising the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine for an independent homeland, based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In a strong call to the General Assembly, Bangladesh Ambassador asked for an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression and deplored repetition of such senseless cycles of violence and atrocities by the occupying Israeli forces.
Ambassador Fatima highlighted some priorities towards a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian crisis and peace in the region, which included, the genuine efforts of the international community to address the root causes of the crisis and the fulfillment of the charter responsibilities by the Security Council and the General Assembly to turn around the culture of inaction and enforce compliance of all international human rights and humanitarian laws, and relevant UN resolutions, including resolution 2334 (2016).
She also called for engaging with all relevant actors to ensure early implementation of the Roadmap, Arab Peace Initiative and the efforts of the Quartet.
Also read: Gaza attack: Dhaka seeks US’ proactive role to stop bloodshed
Stressing that the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people must be met urgently, Ambassador Fatima suggested to further strengthen the capacity of UNRWA.
Underscoring the importance of ensuring the accountability of the occupying Israeli forces, she said that it could be a first step towards guaranteeing justice and lasting peace in the Middle East.
More than 100 UN Member States participated in the day-long Joint Debate which was also addressed by the UN Secretary General and President of the General Assembly.
All speakers called for an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian territory and an urgent resolution to the Palestinian crisis.