foreign-affairs
Asia and the Pacific unprepared to face climate-induced catastrophes, warns new UN study
Most countries in Asia and the Pacific are insufficiently prepared to face extreme weather events and natural disasters, which are growing in intensity and frequency due in part to climate change, according to a new study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Findings in the ‘Race to Net Zero: Accelerating Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific’ report reveal that countries in the region lack the sizeable financial means to support adaptation and mitigation efforts and the data necessary to inform climate action.
Over the past 60 years, temperatures in Asia and the Pacific have increased faster than the global mean.
Six of the top 10 countries most affected by disasters are in the region, where food systems are disrupted, economies damaged, and societies undermined.
Read: Asia must quit coal faster to stem worst climate woes: ADB
The report further underscores that while the region suffers the worst consequences of climate change, it is also a key perpetrator — accounting for over half of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
This share is increasing as populations grow and economies continue to be powered by fossil fuels.
If the urgency is clear, the context is challenging. “Measures to put the economies of Asia and the Pacific on a low-carbon pathway, and adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change, must be front and center of the region’s post-pandemic recovery,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, while acknowledging that governments in the region are joining the race to net zero under challenging circumstances from the current polycrisis.
ESCAP notes that the sum of countries’ actions in nationally determined contributions to cut emissions and adapt to climate change falls short of the required ambition under the Paris Agreement.
Read: Trouble looms for Indian grain that combats climate change
In fact, a 16 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions from 2010 levels is forecast, a world away from the 45 percent reductions needed to keep warming within 1.5°C.
Without decisive action, global warming will remain a central driver of poverty and inequality in the region – with disastrous consequences across the continent and existential ones in Pacific small island developing States.
The ESCAP study sets out the transformations needed in three key sectors – energy, low-carbon mobility and logistics, and international trade and investment. It further provides concrete proposals on how these major shifts can be financed and how better to measure challenges and progress towards a net-zero carbon future in support of sustainable development.
ESCAP will also convene its 79th Commission session in Bangkok from 15 to 19 May, bringing together Heads of State and Government, ministers, senior officials, youth and other key stakeholders to explore bold policy options, climate-smart solutions and foster ambitious climate action towards net-zero pathways.
Bangladesh number one place to engage 3 big powers and play a bridging role: Prof Kanti Bajpai
Despite some difficulties, Bangladesh is the number one place to engage all three big powers – India, China and the United States - in a bridging role, says a Singapore-based foreign affairs analyst.
“Anything to do with China and India has a shadow over the United States as well. And so I think Bangladesh is the number one place to engage all three in a bridging role,” said Professor Kanti Prasad Bajpai, Vice Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School, National University of Singapore.
He was speaking at a discussion this week as part of Cosmos Dialogue Distinguished Speaker’s Series, entitled “China-India Relations: Implication for South Asia.”
“I think its (Bangladesh’s) diplomatic links with both China and India, probably the strongest amongst all the countries of South Asia. The kind of positive equidistance that Bangladesh has between China and India probably no other country in this region can match. It also has fairly good relations with the United States,” Prof Bajpai said.
Read More: China "unswervingly mediating" between Bangladesh, Myanmar to promote Rohingya repatriation: Ambassador Yao
The discussion was chaired and conducted by President of Cosmos Foundation and renowned scholar-diplomat and former Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Caretaker Government Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.
RMG: US lauds progress; highlights importance of carrying forward accomplishments
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has praised the RMG industry of Bangladesh for its huge progress in ensuring workplace safety and workers’ rights and welfare, stressing on the importance of carrying forward the accomplishments.
He also expressed hope that Bangladesh’s garment industry would continue its development initiatives in the coming days.
Ambassador Haas met BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at BGMEA Complex in Uttara on Sunday.
The US Ambassador emphasized their commitment to work together to spur progress on fundamental labor rights in the industry.
The BGMEA President underscored ethical buying practices and fair prices of products to build a more resilient supply chain system where workers' rights and welfare are considered with high importance.
He also appraised the envoy about the formation of Minimum Wage Board by the government of Bangladesh for garment workers' minimum monthly wages.
The achievements have made the industry a role model for others to emulate, he added.
Faruque Hassan said Bangladesh's apparel industry was giving special emphasis on diversifying from basic to value-added garments, especially those made from non-cotton and technical textiles while making huge efforts and investment in technological upgradation, skills and efficiency enhancement in order to continue the sector's growth momentum.
He requested the U.S. government to allow duty-free access of the garments made of the cotton imported from the US, saying it would benefit both Bangladeshi RMG exporters and US cotton growers, thus creating a win-win situation.
Faruque Hassan sought cooperation of the USA in making the process of importing cotton from the USA easier.
The BGMEA President informed the U.S. Ambassador about the BGMEA’s initiative to organize the Bangladesh Apparel Summit in the USA in October 2023 and requested him to expend support in organizing the event.
135 Bangladeshi evacuees reach Jeddah from crisis-hit Sudan
A total of 135 Bangladeshi nationals have reached Jeddah from crisis-hit Sudan by special flights of the Royal Saudi Air Force as fighting between the army and a paramilitary force continues in the African country.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said flights carrying 135 Bangladeshi nationals reached Jeddah airport on Sunday.
Mohammad Javed Patwary, Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Consul General of Bangladesh in Jeddah Md Nazmul Hoque welcomed the Bangladeshis.
They were kept at the Jeddah-Bangladesh International School, where necessary arrangements have been made. All these evacuees will leave for Dhaka on a flight from Jeddah Airport tonight on a Biman Bangladesh flight.
Blair calls on PM at Claridge's, offers help to attract investment
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has highly praised Bangladesh’s tremendous economic advancement under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Paying a courtesy call on Bangladesh Prime Minister at the Claridge's hotel on Sunday, he also expressed his desire to help Bangladesh for further development in various sectors.
Foreign Minister Dr Ak Abdul Momen briefed reporters afterwards.
“The former UK Prime Minister has highly admired Bangladesh’s development and wanted to help Bangladesh in its further development,“ the foreign minister said.
The prime minister told Blair that Bangladesh needs more foreign investment to generate more employment, according to Momen.
Tony Blair said that he has good relations with the Middle East countries particularly the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) ones and he can help Bangladesh to increase business connectivity.
Blair, also head of the Tony Blair Institution for Global Change, was quoted as saying: “The current economy of Bangladesh is very attractive and Bangladesh is doing very well economically.”
The foreign minister said the ex-prime minister of UK expressed his happiness over the bilateral relations between the UK and Bangladesh, saying, “The UK and Bangladesh relationship is very excellent.”
He also greeted the Bangladesh premier for coming to attend the coronation of King Charles III.
Authorities concerned from the Tony Blair Institution for Global Change will visit Bangladesh and sit with BIDA to identify the sectors for which Bangladesh needs help in development.
PM’s Speechwriter M Nazrul Islam and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, among others, were present at the briefing.
India’s NCGG completes training programme for 58th batch of Bangladeshi civil servants
The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) completed its flagship capacity building programme (CBP) for 58th batch of civil servants of Bangladesh, which was attended by 45 officers.
The programme focused on imparting new knowledge in the field of public policies, programmes, governance, use of technology and new skillsets to the officers to design and execute effective public policies and programmes to improve the quality of life of citizens.
In his valedictory address, Bharat Lal, Director General, NCGG urged the officers to be responsive to the need of people and stressed on the critical importance of redressing public grievances in a time-bound manner.
He appreciated the developmental partnership between the two countries and stated that this programme is an effort to empower the participants to new developmental paradigm and initiatives among other things.
He highlighted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ and urged the public servants to reduce the gap between the citizens and the government, and do away with the old colonial mindset.
He also pointed out that modern technology is a great enabler in bringing transparency and accountability. One should learn and adopt these modern tools of information and communication technology (ICT) to better serve the people.
PM Hasina takes country to a unique height in world: Bangladesh envoy
Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran has said following the Father of the Nation’s pragmatic and time-befitting policies and guidelines, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken Bangladesh to a unique height in the world by transforming the country into a role model of development.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC celebrated the Bangla Nabo Barsho (Bangla New Year-1430) on Saturday (May 6) with much enthusiasm and fanfare. It also organized an “Open House” program as part of the “Passport DC’s Embassy Tour 2023”.
To celebrate the Bangla Nabo Barsho, a "Mongal Shobhajatra" (a rally of well-being) was brought out from Bangabandhu Auditorium of the Embassy. The traditional procession ended on the Chancery premises after parading the nearby streets of the US capital.
Paying deep respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ambassador Imran said the spirit of the day reflects the philosophy, belief and aspirations of the great leader who dreamt of building a hunger-and-poverty-free developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla (Golden Bangladesh) as well as secular and inclusive society.
Led by Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran, Embassy officials and employees and their family members and invited guests took part in the rally carrying indigenous musical instruments, drums, masks and various traditional items.
Ambassador Imran delivered the welcome address at the function, while Afreen Akhter, Deputy Assistant Secretary, the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) at the US State Department was present as the guest of honor. Officials of the US Government and State Department also joined the joyful event.
WaterAid launches second phase of WASH4UP to benefit thousands of people
WaterAid Bangladesh, in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, has launched the second phase of their "WASH for Urban Poor (WASH4UP) project” called WASH4UP Phase II project, aiming at improving the environmental health and resilience of certain urban regions in Bangladesh.
Maria Stridsman, Head of Development Cooperation and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, and Hasin Jahan, WaterAid’s Country Director in Bangladesh, signed the agreement on behalf of the respective organizations on Wednesday at the Embassy of Sweden located in Gulshan, Dhaka, said a press release issued on Sunday.
The three-year project will be implemented in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Paikgachha, Sakhipur, and Saidpur, and will focus on institutionalizing best practices already established in previous years.
The project aims to reduce WASH deprivation among the target communities through increased WASH awareness and access to climate-resilient and inclusive WASH.
The WASH4UP-Phase II project will benefit 50,000 people who will have access to safe water at communities and institutions, and 46,000 people who will have access to improved sanitation facilities at communities and institutions, said the press release.
Additionally, 90,000 people will receive motivation to change their hygiene behavior at communities and institutions.
Furthermore, the project will have a significant impact on commuters, with 9,500,000 users of public sanitation facilities, and 18,000 sanitation and waste workers, community people, and their family members will have access to better health services.
Additionally, 15,000 people will receive safely managed sanitation services through fecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP), and 16,500 people will receive door-to-door solid waste management support.
Speaking about the project, Hasin Jahan, WaterAid's Country Director, said, "We are delighted to extend our collaborative efforts with the Embassy of Sweden for the second phase of the WASH4UP project in Bangladesh. Our efforts to improve WASH facilities and community awareness have already shown significant impact, and we are committed to building on this progress to further improve the lives of people in Bangladesh".
Maria Stridsman, Head of Development Cooperation and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, added, “We are pleased that the second phase of the WASH4UP project will continue to prioritize the needs of vulnerable people, including women who often bear the burden of fetching water for extended periods. Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is a basic human right, and this project aims to ensure that all people, especially the most vulnerable, have equitable access to these essential services.”
WaterAid Bangladesh and the Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh's WASH4UP Phase II project underscores their commitment to improving the environmental health and resilience of WASH-deprived urban poor living in slums and low-income settlements, and the beneficiaries of the project will undoubtedly benefit from the increased WASH awareness and access to climate resilient and inclusive WASH.
Despite many challenges, Bangladesh remains one of the fastest growing economies in Asia-Pacific: Visiting IMF team
The visiting team of International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that despite many challenges, Bangladesh’s growth is progressive.
In a statement released on Sunday, Rahul Anand, IMF Mission Chief for Bangladesh, said: “Against a challenging economic backdrop, Bangladesh remains one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region. However, persistent inflationary pressures, elevated volatility of global financial conditions, and slowdown in major advanced trading partners continue to weigh on growth, foreign currency reserves, and the Taka.”
Also Read: IMF satisfied with progress of BBS’ GDP and inflation data updated under new method
The team led by Anand arrived in Dhaka on April 25 to discuss recent macroeconomic and financial sector developments. The delegation also went over the progress made towards meeting key commitments under the IMF-supported program.
Also Read: Bangladesh’s GDP growth rate will overtake China’s in current fiscal year, IMF predicts
“This will be formally assessed in the first review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) / Extended Fund Facility (EFF) / Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangements, which is expected to be undertaken later this year,” Anand’s statement said.
Also Read: Preparing next budget a daunting task amid IMF pressure, global economic slowdown, speakers tell ERF workshop
During the visit, the IMF team held meetings with Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder, Finance Secretary Fatima Yasmin, and other senior government and Bangladesh Bank officials. The delegation also met with representatives from the private sector, bilateral donors and development partners.
Bangladesh's next general election will be fair, PM Hasina tells UK
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again said that her country's upcoming general election will be free and fair.
She made it clear after UK Foreign Minister James Cleverly during a meeting with her on Saturday (May 06, 2023) said that Britain wants to see a fair national election in Bangladesh in the coming days.
Bangladesh is likely to hold the next general election either end this year or early next year.
Cleverly called on Hasina at the Claridge Hotel where the visiting prime minister is staying on her official UK visit.
Read: US wants Bangladesh to set a strong example of free, fair election
Hasina urged cooperation from all to make the next polls free and fair, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen who briefed the media after the meeting.
“We want a fair election to be held. My party has always maintained democracy in the country. We have given the country’s democracy a strong footing,” she said.
The PM further said that her government is committed to holding a fair election which requires participation of all.
"I want cooperation from all to hold a fair election,” Hasina said.
Read more: Awami League alone exercises democracy and holds fair polls in Bangladesh: PM Hasina
She stated that the AL government had done everything required to hold a fair election. She mentioned introduction of a voter list with photographs of voters and making ballot boxes transparent so that none can manipulate the vote.
“We have created a strong state of democracy in Bangladesh," she said.
On the contrary the BNP during its rule had prepared a voter list with 1.23 crore fake voters for rigging votes, she said.
“We have made the Election Commission (EC) as independent and powerful enough alongside bringing institutional frameworks to hold a fair election,” she said.
Read More: Election is Bangladesh’s internal affair, would refrain from commenting: Japanese Ambassador
The Prime Minister said they believe in Westminster like democracy following which Bangladesh has introduced a question-answer session in the Parliament.
During the talks, several bilateral issues like climate change, trade and commerce alongside the Rohingyas came up prominently, Momen said.
The UK foreign minister highly praised the humanitarian role of Bangladesh premier in sheltering a huge number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
“Britain will remain beside Bangladesh for quick repatriation of Rohingyas,” Cleverly said.
Read More: BNP not to join polls under AL: Fakhrul
Momen said the British government introduced a resolution before the UN Security Council on the Rohingya issue and played an effective role for its adoption.
Cleverly also expressed his gratitude towards Bangladesh premier for joining the coronation of King Charles III.