Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has said they need bold, innovative, improved and coordinated support measures from the development partners, United Nations system, and other international and regional organizations to ensure the sustainability of the graduating and the graduated countries. She was speaking at the virtual thematic discussion on LDC5 PrepCom entitled, ‘Towards Improved Support to Graduating and Graduated Countries’ as the Chair held in New York on Wednesday. The discussion event was jointly organised by the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh, the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (UN-CDP) and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS). Highlighting the tremendous challenges faced by the graduating and the graduated countries in implementing the 2030 Agenda during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ambassador Fatima said, “It’s highly important to ensure Sustainable Graduation Support facility (SGSF), especially in trade, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and financing for those LDCs.” She urged the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to try hard and come up with some concrete ideas for SGSF to ensure the sustainability of the graduation and to prevent any slide back on this trajectory. Ambassador Fatima, Co-Chair of the LDC5 PrepCom, expressed her hope that the ongoing PrepCom will play a pivotal role in the lead-up to the LDC5 Conference in Qatar in 2022. She said the international community and development partners should take appropriate supportive measures for the graduating and the graduated countries especially in view of the additional challenges brought on by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Also read: Bangladesh to seek LDC benefits for 5 years after graduation

Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has called for creating employment and other opportunities for those people who are left behind.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has urged the development and trading partner countries to demonstrate responsible business conduct and to adopt a humane approach to protect the rights and livelihoods of the migrants and the migrant workers during the COVID crisis.   “The gains we had made in poverty eradication and women’s empowerment are at serious risk. This is not the time for economic and trade protectionism; rather this is the time for amplifying global solidarity,” she said.   The PR made the remarks while addressing a virtual side event of the High Level Political Forum entitled “Preserving and Advancing Global Progress on Eradicating Poverty: Responding to the COVID 19 Crisis” hosted by the Government of Canada recently in New York.     Ambassador Fatima mentioned that export earnings and remittances are critical for the poverty eradication in the developing countries, said a media release on Saturday.   Reflecting that bold, resolute, people-centric, and inclusive policies adopted by the Government of Sheikh Hasina had played a vital role in pulling millions of people out of poverty in Bangladesh, Ambassador Fatima shared with the participants different poverty reduction strategies such as expanded social safety net for the vulnerable people, financial inclusion, education of women and youth, gender equality, use of ICT and digitalization, strong disaster risk reduction programmes, and resilience building against climate change impacts.   Minister of Children, Family and Social Development of Canada Ahmed Hussen addressed the event that facilitated a lively dialogue with different countries and members of Canada’s National Poverty Advisory Council on lessons learned on the intersecting topics of poverty reduction and ‘restart and recovery’ efforts in the face of COVID-19, and opportunities for continuing progress on SDG 1: No Poverty.   The Minister reiterated Canada’s commitment to global poverty eradication and its support to the vulnerable developing countries such as LDCs and SIDS particularly in their resilience building and the development of the private sector including the MSMEs.   Stating that Bangladesh’s SDG implementation and poverty eradication plans are likely to suffer setbacks from the pandemic, Ambassador Fatima reiterated that poverty eradication would be the cornerstone of Bangladesh’s post COVID recovery plans.   She urged the development partners, multilateral donors and the private sector to come forward to support developing countries in sustaining and building productive capacity, growth of resilient infrastructure, diversification of the economies, and job creation.   She also underscored the need for separate stimulus packages and innovative support measures for the graduating LDCs such as Bangladesh to preserve their gains in poverty eradication and prevent a slide back.   Catherine Adam, Senior Associate Deputy Minister, Strategic and Service Policy Branch Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) warned the participants of the widening inequalities induced by the COVID 19 pandemic and highlighted the importance of putting in place inclusive systems. Several speakers lauded Bangladesh for attaining rapid poverty eradication with the help of pragmatic measures.