PM for reforms of UN, WB, IMF

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina poses with US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York on Monday. The photo was released yesterday. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for reforms of the United Nations, World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions so they could serve the interests of large majorities instead of a privileged few.
Addressing the 67th UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, she said, "I join the vast majority of the UN members in reemphasising the urgent need to reform the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions and other global financial bodies, as their structure and decision-making process reflect the 60-year-old power equations."
The prime minister said the new millennium warranted a changed world order based on justice, mutual respect and sovereign equality.
"Today, we talk boldly about justice, equality, democracy, freedom, human rights, environment, and adverse impacts of climate change.
"These are the priorities of our time which we must acknowledge in place of the hangovers of the past," she observed.
Mentioning the recent popular uprisings, intra-state conflicts, climate change disasters and global financial crises, Hasina stressed the need for collective efforts for peaceful resolution of the crises on the UN floor.
She said her government always believed in settlement of disputes through talks. She cited the example of Ganges water-sharing treaty and land boundary agreement with neighbouring India.
Hasina said Bangladesh had also resolved maritime boundary dispute with Myanmar peacefully and that it was now working with India to address concerns stemming from the proposed Tipaimukh dam.
She said, "From this podium 38 years ago, my father, the architect of independent Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared the guiding principle of his newborn country -- friendship to all, malice to none.
"This policy guides us for peaceful settlement of all disputes and situations at home and abroad."
Lauding this year's UNGA theme -- "Settlement of International Disputes or Situations by Peaceful Means" -- the prime minister said her country's commitment to global peace had been demonstrated through its contribution to the UN peacekeeping missions and in being a founder member of the UN Peace Building Commission.
She went on: "Peace prevails when justice prevails … Justice ensures peace, and is vital for development. Justice is possible only through democracy, which empowers people.
"We are, therefore, strengthening democracy and justice by empowering people through eradicating poverty, hunger, inequality by social safety nets, job creation, inclusiveness, sustained growth, human development and encountering terrorism."
Referring to “People's Empowerment and Development”, the peace model she presented at the 66th UNGA, Hasina sought the international community's support for its propagation. The model was endorsed by UNGA resolution 66/224 and adopted by consensus last year.
In her address, delivered in Bangla, she also highlighted what she said was social and economic progress Bangladesh made since the Awami League-led coalition came to power in 2009.
She said successes in various sectors had helped the country achieve the Millennium Development Goals on gender parity, infant mortality and maternal health ahead of 2015. The MDGs are eight international development goals that all UN member states have agreed to achieve by the year 2015.
The prime minister said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had acknowledged these achievements by including her as a member of the lead group for the “Scaling Up Nutrition” movement, and as a champion for "Education First Initiative”.
Turning to the climate change issues, she called for an international agreement on limiting greenhouse gas emissions, and early operation of the "Green Climate Fund" for adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer.
She also said her administration maintained a policy of zero tolerance for terrorism.
Hasina urged the world leaders to step up efforts to resolve the Palestine issue.
She also called on them to take the plight of the autistic and disadvantaged children into consideration and adopt a resolution on Autism Spectrum Disorder in the present UNGA session.
Eleven other heads of state and government addressed the session with Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Abdul Momen in the chair.