Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Ambassador Rabab Fatima has been unanimously elected as the President of the UN Women Executive Board for the year 2022. With this election, Bangladesh takes up the Presidency of the UN Women Executive Board for the first time. Read: Bangladesh deeply committed to human rights, fundamental freedoms: Rabab Fatima Ambassador Fatima earlier served as the President of the UNICEF Executive Board in 2020 and as Vice President of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board in 2021. The election of the five-member bureau was held in New York on Tuesday, which also elected the Permanent Representatives of Argentina, Ukraine, Iceland and Sierra Leone as the Vice Presidents. The Executive Board provides strategic guidance to UN Women, the UN agency dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women. As the President of the Board, Bangladesh will be able to contribute further to the work of the UN Women. Ambassador Rabab Fatima thanked the Board members for electing her, and for their confidence in Bangladesh’s leadership to address the challenges that continue to affect women and girls across the globe, especially during the time of the pandemic. “There is no time to waste. We must ensure that all COVID recovery plans are gender-responsive, and that all stakeholders – public, private, NGOs - are mobilized to ensure that. We also need to provide UN Women with the necessary direction and resources so that it can continue to be at the forefront of all such efforts," said Ambassador Fatima. She assured UN Women that the new Executive Board will work hard to support UN Women in this challenging time. Read: Ambassador Rabab Fatima presents credentials to Peru The Ambassador applauded UN Women’s remarkable contributions in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women worldwide. She also paid tribute to all staff and colleagues of UN Women globally, who have been carrying out their important work, with dedication and courage in the midst of the pandemic challenges. UN Women Executive Director Ambassador Sima Bahous welcomed the new President and said that UN Women looked forward to benefiting from her experience and wisdom. She expressed optimism that Ambassador Fatima would spearhead the bureau’s guidance to the work of UN Women.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Ambassador Rabab Fatima has said the lack of infrastructure, especially in the areas of ICT, health, and education is acutely felt during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "Therefore, it should be our urgent priority to build adequate infrastructure in all these areas," she said. The envoy made remarks while speaking at a virtual panel discussion on ‘Accelerating infrastructure investments for a sustainable and resilient recovery and restoring trade’ at the ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council) Forum on Financing for Development in New York on Tuesday. Highlighting the critical importance of digital infrastructure for providing vital services to people, Ambassador Fatima urged the developed countries to ensure much needed technology transfer to LDCs and other vulnerable countries. Also read: ECOSOC chief focuses on pandemic, SDGs, climate action She also underscored the importance of ensuring fast recovery from the pandemic as well as better resilience against current and future shocks. Ambassador Fatima called for the integration of the disasters and climate change issues into investment decisions to build long-term sustainability and resilience. Underlining the weaknesses of the global supply chain infrastructure, she emphasized the need for further improvement of trade infrastructure including in the areas of transit, transportation, and shipping etc. The envoy put specific focus on the grants and long-term concessional financing in infrastructure investment, public-private financing, blended financing, south-south and triangular cooperation etc. She urged the advanced economies to fulfill their unmet promises in the areas of DFQF market access and other trade benefits to LDCs. Also read: Bangladesh elected ECOSOC member The 2021 ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development is being held from 12-15 April 2021 in New York. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal is leading the Bangladesh delegation. He delivered a pre-recorded statement at the special segment of the Forum held on April 12. Bangladesh also participated in the Special High-level Meeting with the Bretton Woods Institutions (World Bank and IMF), WTO and UNCTAD on Tuesday.

Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York and the concurrently accredited Ambassador of Bangladesh to Peru with residence in New York has presented her copies of credentials to the Foreign Minister of Peru, Allan Wagner Tizon. At a virtual ceremony held on Thursday, Ambassador Fatima conveyed the greetings of the President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh to the Peruvian Government and people. Also read:Rabab Fatima calls for international solidarity against terrorism She mentioned that her presentation of credentials coincides with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence. The Ambassador reiterated her commitment to work towards strengthening the ties of friendship and excellent relations between the two countries and peoples, at all fronts, bilateral as well as multilateral. She conveyed the best wishes of the government of Bangladesh for the continued progress and prosperity of Peru, especially during this challenging time brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ambassadors of 13 countries presented their copies of credentials to the Foreign Minister of Peru on the same day. Due to the extraordinary situation posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peruvian authority organized this virtual event, which concurrently accredits Ambassador Fatima as non-resident Ambassador of Bangladesh to Peru. Also read:Rabab Fatima appointed Bangladesh's envoy to UN The formal ceremony for presenting the credentials to the Peruvian President will be held at a suitable date later. There are some Bangladeshi nationals in Peru. The Permanent Mission in New York extends necessary cooperation and support to them as required.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Rabab Fatima has called for greater international solidarity to realize a world free of terrorism.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Ambassador Rabab Fatima has said eradicating poverty in all its forms everywhere is an overarching goal for Agenda-2030.