Bangladesh to withdraw UNSC candidature
Bangladesh to withdraw UNSC candidature
Bangladesh today declared it would withdraw its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term of 2016-17 in support of Japan.
“…in view of Japan’s continued and strong support in Bangladesh’s development process and in the solidarity and unity of the Asia-Pacific Group at the UN, it is my pleasure to declare that Bangladesh would support Japan’s candidature from the group,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“We would also withdraw Bangladesh’s candidature in favour of Japan,” she said during a joint press announcement with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at her office this afternoon.
"We recall with deep gratitude the support and empathy of the friendly people and the government of Japan during our War of Liberation," she added.
Welcoming the Bangladesh's decision, Abe, who arrived in Dhaka early this afternoon on a brief but significant visit to Bangladesh, expressed his gratefulness to Hasina’s wholehearted cooperation.
"I am deeply grateful to Sheikh Hasina for the decision to withdraw candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council and extending support to Japan for the post," he said.
Abe said he and Japan highly appreciate the decision, and the decision is instrumental in further strengthening the bilateral relations.
Dhaka’s announcement came following a “fruitful” discussion at the official talks, in which Hasina and Abe led their respective delegations.
Amid speculation that the Japanese premier might come up with further economic assistance programmes following Dhaka’s declaration to withdraw its candidacy, but Abe reiterated his earlier commitment to provide up to 600 billion (US $5.71 billion) Yen of additional assistance to Bangladesh in about four or five years from 2014.
Abe had announced this financial assistance on May 26 during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Japan.
Referring to Abe’s commitment of an additional amount of US $6 billion of official development assistance (ODA), Hasina said: “We understand the Japanese commitment would not be limited to the amount.”
Bangladesh's support is crucial for Japan as Dhaka had been campaigning since 2002 for the nonpermanent seat. But only one member state from the Asia-pacific region can win each election.
In 1978, Bangladesh was elected non-permanent member of UNSC defeating Japan.