foreign-affairs
We expect UK to promote interests of climate vulnerable countries: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh expects the UK to promote the interests and priorities of climate vulnerable countries to international platforms.
She said this when COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma met her at her official residence Ganobhaban.
PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.
Read: COP26: Alok Sharma discusses climate issues with FM
He said they discussed various issues like the climate change situation, its global adverse impacts, mitigation and Climate Change Fund and Covid-19 pandemic.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is going to be the worst affected like some other countries across the globe due to the climate change even though the carbon emission of these countries are very negligible. “We’ll be affected massively,” she said.
Hasina said the government has taken various programmes to increase the renewable energy use in mitigating the demand for power.
She said there are currently some 5.8 million solar power connections in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister said her government and the Awami League as a party are engaged in massive tree plantation to improve the environment of the country.
Read:Alok Sharma in city to discuss climate issues ahead of COP26
Talking about the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccination, the Prime Minister said the government has adopted various measures to run the economy apart from containing the coronavirus infection although Bangladesh is a densely populated country.
COP26: Alok Sharma discusses climate issues with FM
Visiting COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma on Wednesday met Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and discussed priority issues on climate front.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam, among others, attended the meeting.
Read: Alok Sharma in city to discuss climate issues ahead of COP26
Earlier, the State Minister received Sharma at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 09.20am upon his arrival.
He is also scheduled to attend "UK- Bangladesh Climate Partnership Roundtable" at 2pm at Foreign Service Academy before holding a joint briefing at 3pm.
Read:COP26 President-Designate Sharma due Wednesday to discuss climate issues
During his engagements in Dhaka, Sharma will discuss shared priorities with Bangladesh which remains a "crucial" partner on the road to COP26.
He is on a two-day visit to strengthen support for UK COP26 climate priorities ahead of hosting the crucial UN climate change summit in Glasgow this November.
Bhasan Char much better than Cox’s Bazar camps: UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, on Wednesday cleared its position regarding protection and assistance towards Rohingyas both in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, saying that they will continue to be present in various places around the country indicating the inclusion of Bhasan Char.
“The government has made a very important investment in Bhasan Char. Bhasan Char is a much better (place than Cox’s Bazar camps),” Raouf Mazou, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, told reporters after their meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen here.
Read:UNHCR seeks vaccinations for refugees in Asia, including Rohingyas
He said they are with the government of Bangladesh and they always work with the government. “We’re present in Cox’s Bazar. We’ll continue to be present in various places around the country and will work with the government to ensure assistance to refugees.”
Raouf said anybody may feel isolated in Bhasan Char but they must have economic activities apart from education and healthcare facilities.
Gillian Triggs, the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, said they are here to work and support the government in ensuring the protection of these Rohingyas.
Read:Fully cooperating with ICJ to “ensure justice” for Rohingyas: NUG
UK reports zero Covid deaths for the first time since start of pandemic
The UK has announced zero daily Covid deaths within 28 days of a positive test for the first time since March 2020.
The latest figures also reported another 3,165 new cases, compared with 3,383 on Monday and 2,493 one week ago.
It comes amid concern over a recent small rise in cases linked to the variant first identified in India, reports the BBC.
Reports of daily deaths are often lower at weekends and at the start of the week.
This is because less counting takes place while statisticians are off - and adding in the bank holiday weekend will make this figure less certain still.
READ: Covid: WHO renames UK and other variants with Greek letters
Any deaths that happen on Tuesday will be reported in days to come.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the whole country would be "so glad" to hear the news.
He added: "The vaccines are clearly working - protecting you, those around you and your loved ones. But despite this undoubtedly good news we know we haven't beaten this virus yet, and with cases continuing to rise please remember hands, face, space and let in fresh air when indoors, and of course, make sure when you can you get both jabs."
The BBC reported it would be a "blessed relief" for the UK government to announce no deaths in their daily figures for the first time since the pandemic got going.
Today's figures indicate what was happening with infections a month ago and, right now, it looks like the virus is on the rise again from its current low base.
And the daily count isn't a perfect picture: some people who died over the bank holiday may have their passing reported on Wednesday.
In fact, according to the UK's current definition, deaths within four weeks of a positive test, there was a day with no reportable deaths last summer - on 30 July. But Boris Johnson's government did announce some deaths on that day as they were using a different definition at the time.
The pandemic is far from over, but this is a unique day in its history to date.
The UK's daily death rate, the number of people being admitted to hospital and those catching the virus have fallen from a peak reached in January.
This comes against the backdrop of the increasing numbers of people receiving the first or second dose of a vaccine. More than a third of the adult population have now received both doses.
The latest figures show 25,734,719 people in the UK have had two jabs, while 39,477,158 - some 74.9% of the adult population - have received a first dose.
READ: Vietnam finds new virus variant, hybrid of India, UK strains
However, the success of the UK's vaccination programme does not mean that the battle with Covid is over, a scientist advising the government told the BBC. Prof Adam Finn said the country remained 'vulnerable' as there were still large numbers of unvaccinated people.
UNHCR seeks vaccinations for refugees in Asia, including Rohingyas
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has sought stronger global support for refugee vaccinations in Asia, including Rohingyas who are living in Bangladesh.
In Cox’s Bazar, where almost 900,000 Rohingyas are living in the single largest and most densely populated cluster of refugee camps in the world, the number of cases has increased considerably in the last two months, said the UN agency.
As of May 31, there have been over 1,188 cases confirmed among the refugee population, with more than half of these cases recorded in May alone, UNHCR said.
“Some refugees, including in Nepal, have already received their first vaccine dose with COVAX-provided supplies. Among the Rohingya refugees in the camps in Bangladesh, not a single vaccine has been administered yet given the scarcity of supplies in the country,” said UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic in a regular briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.
READ: UNHCR seeks adequate medical assistance for Rohingyas affected in Bhasan Char
The current delays in vaccine shipments, brought about by limited supplies to COVAX, mean that some of the world’s most vulnerable people remain susceptible to the virus, said the spokesperson.
With COVID-19 raging in many parts of the world, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is warning about shortages of vaccines in the Asia-Pacific region, including for refugees and asylum-seekers.
"We urge immediate and stronger support for the COVAX initiative, a worldwide effort aimed at achieving equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. This is critical to save lives and curb the impact of the virus, particularly in developing nations.
These countries host the vast majority of more than 80 million forcibly displaced people in the world. Yet so far, they have benefited from only a fraction of the world’s COVID-19 vaccines," said the UNHCR spokesperson.
UNHCR stressed that no one can be left behind in the global effort against the coronavirus.
The pandemic will be defeated only when vaccinations become available everywhere on an equitable basis, it said.
"We are particularly worried about the situation in the Asia and Pacific region, which in the past two months has experienced the largest increase in the number of cases globally. Over this period, there have been some 38 million recorded COVID-19 cases and more than half a million deaths," said the UNHCR spokesperson.
READ: UNHCR's joint response plan to be launched Tuesday
The fragile health systems in many countries in this region have struggled to cope with this recent surge.
The lack of hospital beds, oxygen supplies, limited intensive care unit (ICU) capacities and scarce health facilities and services have worsened outcomes for those infected with COVID-19, particularly in India and Nepal.
The highly infectious variant of the virus which first emerged in India threatens to rapidly spread in the sub-region, including among refugee populations.
"Refugees remain especially vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19. Overcrowded settings, coupled with limited water and sanitation facilities, can contribute to increased infection rates and an exponential spread of the virus," said the UNHCR spokesperson.
UNHCR said it is adding its voice to the calls for countries with surplus doses to donate to COVAX, and for manufacturers to boost supplies to the COVAX facility.
UNHCR’s total financial requirements for COVID include $455m in supplementary needs and $469m in COVID-related activities that are included in its regular budget.
To date, including projected contributions, UNHCR has received $252.8m or 27% of these requirements.
WHO validates Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday validated the Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving countries, funders, procuring agencies and communities the assurance that it meets international standards for safety, efficacy and manufacturing.
The vaccine is produced by the Beijing-based pharmaceutical company Sinovac.
“The world desperately needs multiple COVID-19 vaccines to address the huge access inequity across the globe,” said Dr Mariangela Simao, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Health Products. “We urge manufacturers to participate in the COVAX Facility, share their knowhow and data and contribute to bringing the pandemic under control.”
WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is a prerequisite for COVAX Facility vaccine supply and international procurement.
It also allows countries to expedite their own regulatory approval to import and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
The EUL assesses the quality, safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as risk management plans and programmatic suitability, such as cold chain requirements.
The assessment is performed by the product evaluation group, composed by regulatory experts from around the world and a Technical Advisory Group (TAG), in charge of performing the risk-benefit assessment for an independent recommendation on whether a vaccine can be listed for emergency use and, if so, under which conditions.
In the case of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine, the WHO assessment included on-site inspections of the production facility.
The Sinovac-CoronaVac product is an inactivated vaccine. Its easy storage requirements make it very manageable and particularly suitable for low-resource settings.
WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has also completed its review of the vaccine. On the basis of available evidence, WHO recommends the vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of two to four weeks.
Vaccine efficacy results showed that the vaccine prevented symptomatic disease in 51% of those vaccinated and prevented severe COVID-19 and hospitalization in 100% of the studied population.
Few older adults (over 60 years) were enrolled in clinical trials, so efficacy could not be estimated in this age group.
Nevertheless, WHO is not recommending an upper age limit for the vaccine because data collected during subsequent use in multiple countries and supportive immunogenicity data suggest the vaccine is likely to have a protective effect in older persons.
There is no reason to believe that the vaccine has a different safety profile in older and younger populations.
WHO recommends that countries using the vaccine in older age groups conduct safety and effectiveness monitoring to verify the expected impact and contribute to making the recommendation more robust for all countries.
READ: Panel suggests WHO should have more power to stop pandemics
WHO emergency use listing
The emergency use listing (EUL) procedure assesses the suitability of novel health products during public health emergencies.
The objective is to make medicines, vaccines and diagnostics available as rapidly as possible to address the emergency, while adhering to stringent criteria of safety, efficacy and quality.
The assessment weighs the threat posed by the emergency as well as the benefit that would accrue from the use of the product against any potential risks.
The EUL pathway involves a rigorous assessment of late phase II and phase III clinical trial data as well as substantial additional data on safety, efficacy, quality and a risk management plan with a focus on low- and middle-income country needs.
These data are reviewed by independent experts and WHO teams who consider the current body of evidence on the vaccine under consideration, the plans for monitoring its use, and plans for further studies.
As part of the EUL process, the company producing the vaccine must commit to continue to generate data to enable full licensure and WHO prequalification of the vaccine.
The WHO prequalification process will assess additional clinical data generated from vaccine trials and deployment on a rolling basis to ensure the vaccine meets the necessary standards of quality, safety and efficacy for broader availability.
READ: German minister laments choice of Syria for WHO board seat
WHO has already listed the Pfizer/BioNTech, Astrazeneca-SK Bio, Serum Institute of India, Astra Zeneca EU, Janssen, Moderna and Sinopharm vaccines for emergency use.
FM, his Australian counterpart discuss progress on TIFA
Bangladesh and Australia are in discussion to sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) as the two countries want to take the relations to a new height shifting from development assistance to trade and investment.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne had a telephone conversation on Monday and expressed satisfaction over the progress regarding discussion on TIFA.
The two Foreign Ministers also discussed about Rohingya situation.
Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district and Bhasan Char.
Dr Momen thanked the Australian government for extending continuous support to the Rohingyas.
He requested the Australian government to continue its efforts for Rohingya repatriation.
BUILD Chairperson meets new FBCCI president
Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) Chairperson Abul Kasem Khan has met newly elected President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Md. Jashim Uddin and discussed issues of mutual interest.
During the meeting at the FBCCI Secretariat, BUILD Chairperson said they will see further development of business and industry in the country under the dynamic leadership of the new FBCCI President.
Read:COP26 President-Designate Sharma due Wednesday to discuss climate issues
BUILD Chairperson said FBCCI President's guidance during the pandemic will be very important for our business community, said a media release on Tuesday.
Referring to the MOU signed between FBCCI and BUILD in 2015, BUILD Chairperson requested the support from FBCCI for joint collaboration.
FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin said FBCCI will work towards accelerating private sector growth and will give highest priority in resolving the many challenges faced by businesses.
He stressed the need to strengthen research and innovation as these would help reach the 2041 economic vision for the country.
Read:Bloomberg writer pours his heart out while praising Bangladesh’s progress
BUILD CEO Ferdaus Ara Begum also welcomes the new President as the Co-chair of the Taxation Working Committee of BUILD and requests his support and guidance.
COP26 President-Designate Sharma due Wednesday to discuss climate issues
COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma arrives here on Wednesday morning to discuss shared priorities with Bangladesh which remains a "crucial" partner on the road to COP26.
He will meet Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday and attend a joint briefing at 3pm, a senior official told UNB on Tuesday.
Read:BUILD Chairperson meets new FBCCI president
Alok Sharma is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to discuss climate issues during his two-day visit.
His plan is to strengthen support for UK COP26 climate priorities ahead of hosting the crucial UN climate change summit in Glasgow this November.
He will discuss the needs of countries most vulnerable to climate change, to ensure they are equipped to deal with its current and damaging effects ahead of COP26.
Read:Bloomberg writer pours his heart out while praising Bangladesh’s progress
Preventing deforestation whilst ensuring development and trade is sustainable will also be high on the agenda, as COP26 looks to highlight the protection of nature and biodiversity as a key tool in limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.
With less than six months to go before COP26, he will meet leaders from government, business and civil society to press his personal priority for a move to global clean power, critical to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.
Bloomberg writer pours his heart out while praising Bangladesh’s progress
Bangladesh is destined to be South Asia’s standout success and countries like India and Pakistan have much to learn from Bangladesh, says a Bloomberg article.
"Today, the country’s 160 million-plus people, packed into a fertile delta that’s more densely populated than the Vatican City, seem destined to be South Asia’s standout success," writes Mihir Swarup Sharma, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist.
Sharma, also a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi and head of its Economy and Growth Programme, mentioned that the past 50 years have shown how unwise it is to bet against Bangladesh.
"In 1971, success seemed well beyond a long shot," reads the article titled "South Asia Should Pay Attention to Its Standout Star."
Read:BUILD Chairperson meets new FBCCI president
Once again, Bangladesh should benchmark itself against Vietnam, which is not only part of the China-centric Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but also signed an FTA with the European Union in 2019, reads the article.
"Transforming the terms of Bangladesh’s trade won’t be easy, which is why the effort needs to start now. Dhaka will have to beef up its negotiating capacity in particular: It doesn’t even have a dedicated set of trade negotiators in its commerce ministry."
Half a century ago, in March 1971, Bangladesh’s founders declared their independence from richer and more powerful Pakistan, the article reads.
The country was born amid famine and war; millions fled to India or were killed by Pakistani soldiers.
To the Pakistani military’s American backers, the new country seemed destined to fail: Henry Kissinger, then Secretary of State, famously called it a “basketcase.” George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organized the first-ever super-benefit to raise money for UNICEF relief work in the struggling country.
This month, Bangladesh’s Cabinet Secretary told reporters that GDP per capita had grown by 9% over the past year, rising to $2,227.
Pakistan’s per capita income, meanwhile, is $1,543. In 1971, Pakistan was 70% richer than Bangladesh; today, Bangladesh is 45% richer than Pakistan.
One Pakistani economist glumly pointed out that “it is in the realm of possibility that we could be seeking aid from Bangladesh in 2030.”
Read:COP26 President-Designate Sharma due Wednesday to discuss climate issues
India — eternally confident about being the only South Asian economy that matters — now must grapple with the fact that it, too, is poorer than Bangladesh in per capita terms. India’s per capita income in 2020-21 was a mere $1,947.
In reality, the article reads, Bangladesh is far richer than the depressed Indian states where Hindu nationalist politicians have been railing against Bangladeshi “termites.” It’s as if Mississippi were fretting about illegal immigration from Canada.
Bangladesh’s growth rests on three pillars: exports, social progress and fiscal prudence. Between 2011 and 2019, Bangladesh’s exports grew at 8.6% every year, compared to the world average of 0.4%.
The success is largely due to the country’s relentless focus on products, such as apparel, in which it possesses a comparative advantage.
Meanwhile, the share of Bangladeshi women in the labor force has consistently grown, unlike in India and Pakistan, where it has decreased.
And Bangladesh has maintained a public debt-to-GDP ratio between 30% and 40%. India and Pakistan will both emerge from the pandemic with public debt close to 90% of GDP. Fiscal restraint has allowed Bangladesh’s private sector to borrow and invest.
Bangladesh’s success brings its own set of problems, reads the article.
For one, its exports benefit from the country’s participation in various mechanisms that allow tariff-free access to developed economies, such as the U.S.’s Generalized System of Preferences.
Read:UNHCR seeks adequate medical assistance for Rohingyas affected in Bhasan Char
These groupings are only open to the world’s least developed countries. Thanks to its growth, Bangladesh will likely have to give up these privileges by 2026 or so.
As its economy matures, its comparative advantages will also change. Like Vietnam and others, it will then have to shift emphasis away from garments to higher-value exports. The transition will test Bangladesh as it has those other nations.
The government needs a strategy for the next decade that focuses on new forms of global integration and on a continued transformation of the economy, the article reads.
The smartest thing to do would be to retain access to the developed world’s markets by signing free-trade agreements. Work has started on an FTA with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to Bangladeshi officials, but there’s a lot more to be done.