Adopt new support policy for LDCs

Bangladesh has urged the global community for a new support policy for the LDCs and the graduating LDCs as the pandemic affected the economies, especially of the developing nations, enormously.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen made the call at the high-level opening session of the four-day Asia-Pacific Regional Review Meeting, which began at the UN Headquarters in Geneva on Monday.

Bangladesh, UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States and UN-ESCAP convened the event in preparation for the Fifth UN Conference on LDCs to be held in Qatar in January next year.

During the meeting with Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO, Momen yesterday emphasised WHO's effective role to ensure the availability, affordability and equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines for the developing countries.

While meeting Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, Momen requested for UNHCR's support to put pressure on Myanmar for sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas from Bangladesh.

In recognition of Bangladesh's leading role in LDC, Ambassador Rabab Fatima, along with Ambassador Bob Rae, permanent representative of Canada to the UN in New York, was elected co-chair of the LDC-5 preparatory committee bureau, which will lead preparations for the LDC-5 conference.

MOMEN-RAAB MEETING TOMORROW

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen is going to the UK today on a three-day official visit to chart a post-Brexit, post-Covid new strategic partnership vision, marking the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-UK diplomatic relations.

Momen will hold talks with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday and attend a bilateral meeting with COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma.