With Bangladesh's LDC graduation, the UN role will evolve: Mia Seppo
After joining the Bangladesh UN team four years ago, UN Resident Coordinator Mia Seppo has led the UN Country Team's response to the Rohingya crisis and the coronavirus pandemic – two significant events that have impacted Bangladesh and captured the attention of the world. As she prepares to embark on a new role in Zimbabwe, Seppo sat down to share her experiences and reflections on her time here with The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, and senior reporters Porimol Palma and Mohammad Al-Masum Molla.
DS: How was your time in Bangladesh over the last four years?
Seppo: While the Rohingya crisis has taken an enormous amount of time and attention from the UN system, it is important to note that the UN's agenda in Bangladesh has been, and will continue to be, much broader. The UN development system looks to support Bangladesh's journey toward sustainable development, addressing critical development issues and supporting Bangladesh toward achieving the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the UN system's response to the Government's Eighth Five-year Plan, we have been working hard to support Bangladesh's smooth graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and will continue to channel our efforts toward this end, alongside continued investment in helping Bangladesh tackle the climate crisis, and helping the government shape a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive recovery from COVID-19. This is where the focus will remain in the years to come.
DS: What would you focus on in Bangladesh, in the coming days?
Seppo: Looking forward, it is critically important to focus on how the country recovers from the pandemic, particularly in regards to ensuring an inclusive and green recovery, addressing the gendered impacts of COVID-19, and working to mitigate the impacts of extended school closures to help safeguard and support future generations. There are concerns around under-investment in the health sector, the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic on women and the informal sector, and deepening inequality which we also see between countries. Global inequality has come into sharp focus as a result of the lack of vaccine equity, with poorer countries facing supply shortages while many wealthier countries have a surplus. Global inequality also came into focus during COP26 -- with the biggest emitters and those who bear the most burden when it comes to climate change impacts coming together to discuss how to minimize the gap and commit to a greener future. We have also seen large-scale abuse of the digital space where misinformation has impeded to COVID-19 response in many countries, while increased hate speech, and incitement of violence and discrimination has been reported across the world since the outbreak of the virus -- trends that the UN is very worried about. Online bullying and harassment are also a particular concern when it comes to girls and women. To combat these issues, the UN, government, civil society, and academia urgently need to come together -- this is critical for Bangladesh's sustainable development as well as its LDC graduation.
DS: Bangladesh and the UN Refugee Agency have signed an MoU on Bhasan Char. How are you going to operate there?
Seppo: The MoU outlines the basic principles of protection including voluntary and informed relocation. It also speaks of the need to ensure the delivery of skills-building interventions, the provision of education and healthcare, and the importance of freedom of movement between Bhasan Char and Cox's Bazar, as well as on the island. We hope there will be an agreement to allow visits by families so that people don't feel isolated from their relatives in Cox's Bazar, for example. At the moment, the UN is looking at urgent gaps that need to be addressed on Bhasan Char while looking to strengthen the operations of national NGOs, which have already been providing support to the Rohingyas for many months now. When it comes to the details of what the UN engagement will look like, we will build on what national NGOs are doing on the island -- we can complement the critical work that is being undertaken by bringing in technical expertise, facilitating coordination between humanitarian actors, and addressing protection gaps to safeguard the Rohingyas. We are also working with the government to make sure that the next round of relocations, planned before the next monsoon season, will be peaceful. There is no need to create panic and fear.
DS: When are you planning to start the operation?
Seppo: An assessment is currently underway that aims to identify critical gaps in the Rohingya response. There is a lot of discussion about logistics because it is much more complicated in Bhasan Char than in Cox's Bazar. In terms of when the UN will become operational on the ground, this depends on what kind of role we will play, which is part of the planning for the Joint Response Plan of 2022.
DS: Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar have become more insecure now than Bhasan Char. Do you agree?
Seppo: It is not justified to compare settlements of a location where only 18,000 Rohingyas live and one that has housed nearly one million Rohingyas over the past four years. These two places are so different. Based on experience from other countries, it usually does not work to have a huge difference in conditions between different locations for the same group of refugees. There is a strong commitment from the government on the need to improve the security situation for both the Rohingya and the host communities in Cox's Bazar, and we fully endorse this position.
With this said, it is critical that we do not lay blame on any one group for increased criminality in Cox's Bazar, for example, to label the Rohingyas as criminals. Loose attributions of this kind serve only to further undermine peaceful co-existence and community security. We must keep in mind that when we have one million people living together in difficult conditions -- no matter where they are from or who they are -- there will be some level of criminality. The need now is to ensure stability and calm the situation in the camps. The government is in charge of security, and it is a high priority to make sure that proportionate measures are taken within the law to rein in criminality. However, it is important that the target remains on criminality, not the whole Rohingya community. With this said, it is critically important to recognize that the Rohingyas have a role to play, and we have a supportive role to play, in ensuring community security. At the same time, respect for human rights is cornerstone to ensuring law and order, while the protection of those most vulnerable must also be prioritized -- with over half of the Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar classified as young people, and a big number of them female. The safety and security of women and girls, in particular, must be prioritized.
DS: Natural disasters in Cox's Bazar left a number of Rohingyas dead and resources damaged. Bhasan Char has been proved to be much safer. Do you think the government and international community failed to protect the Rohingyas from natural disasters?
Seppo: Addressing weather-related events and disasters is a constant challenge but it is a much bigger challenge in Cox's Bazar due to the terrain and density and scale of the Rohingya camps. There have been considerable efforts to help green settlements by planting trees alongside a continued effort to increase the use of LPG. While environmental challenges will continue, it is a good thing that greening and reforestation of the camps have taken place. Reforestation serves to mitigate the risks of extreme weather events while also ensuring ecosystem protection, which is critical for the wellbeing and livelihoods of people across Cox's Bazar. A mega disaster in Cox's Bazar would seriously impact both the Rohingya and local communities and could have devastating humanitarian consequences if left unaddressed. Luckily, there is considerable technical expertise in Bangladesh, for example the Cyclone Preparedness Programme, and in the Ministry of Disaster Management to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.
When it comes to Bhasan Char, it has been a good learning process all around. The char environment is very specific to Bangladesh and not well known or understood outside Bangladesh. There are millions of Bangladeshis living on chars, which is a big part of the reality of being a delta country. How to manage the delta and provide support to its surrounding populations is an issue that has attracted a lot of attention. Bangladeshi NGOs that have worked with people on the chars for decades are well-placed to work in Bhasan Char.
DS: Myanmar is now embroiled in a civil war. Rohingyas seem to be in a protracted crisis and Bangladesh is in real trouble over this. What's the future of Rohingya repatriation?
Seppo: Right now, the situation in Myanmar is extremely worrisome with continued violence and tension, a challenging COVID-19 context, growing humanitarian needs, and particular vulnerabilities of the Rohingya in Northern Rakhine. With a complex history in regard to ethnic relations with the government, repatriation of the Rohingyas at this point has become more difficult. That said, the UN system will continue to use every tool that it can to try and restore democracy in Myanmar and create conditions conducive to voluntary, safe and sustainable return. When you speak to the Rohingyas, they want to go back to Myanmar. When you look at everyone working on the response, everyone wants to help the Rohingyas build their capacity to reintegrate into Myanmar, when it is safe and appropriate to do so. It is a question of how we manage the current situation to help Rohingyas and ensure that their hope of return remains alive. This is a complex crisis, and I think it is really a test of our humanity in many ways.
DS: Funding for the Rohingyas has become an issue of concern as it is on the decline. What is your suggestion?
Seppo: The international community needs to stand with Bangladesh in trying to continue to look for solutions to the crisis. It needs to stand with Bangladesh in making sure that it does not become a forgotten crisis. As part of that, continuous support in terms of funding for the Rohingya response and tackling the impact of the crisis on the host community is critical.
DS: We have heard of UN reforms taking place. How is that going?
Seppo: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has kicked off a set of reforms that spans all pillars of the UN system -- the development pillar, the peace and security pillar, and the humanitarian pillar -- while also seeking to overhaul the management structure. Some of these reforms are already showing results. Bangladesh is always closely involved in conversations about peacekeeping and how it can maintain its relevance in our troubled and complicated world.
On the Development System reform, the UN is trying to move away from highly projectized, individualized approaches toward those that cut across silos and can effectively address multifaceted issues such as climate change, recognizing the objectives of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. The COVID-19 crisis has really driven hope in this regard, demonstrating that the world does not operate in silos, that people do not operate in silos. If we don't manage to break the silo mentality, then the UN system cannot be effective. We would also call on working across ministerial boundaries and looking at different issues in a more holistic manner. On the issue of peace and security, the Secretary General has called for a strong focus on prevention and sustaining peace. He has also called for greater investment in gender equality, including within the UN system.
I think the COVID-19 response was the first real test of the effectiveness of the Development System reforms. In many ways, the UN system came out of that looking quite good. In many countries, including Bangladesh, the UN system was able to work together - coordinating the work of agencies like WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA, while also pulling in the capacity of UNDP, FAO and WFP. In the context of the pandemic, what has been most concerning is vaccine inequity. We have not seen sufficient sharing of technology, which is critically needed if we want to get ahead of the virus. We need to make sure that all eligible populations are vaccinated, otherwise we will continue to see new variants and the socio-economic impacts of the virus will continue to be felt far and wide.
We also need to look at the lessons learnt from COVID-19 in terms of pandemic preparedness. We need to understand that human health, animal health, and planetary health are linked and must be given equal priority. With climate change, and increasing population density, it is even more important than in the past. The UN is only as strong as its Member States want it to be, and if Member States are very divided on an issue, then it is critically hard for the UN system to get the approval that is needed to take action. In cases like Myanmar and Ethiopia, we see a lack of global unity to tackle issues, which is a reality of the UN. UN reform implementation on the ground very much depends on government support and that of development partners.
DS: How was the relationship between the UN and Bangladesh during your tenure?
Seppo: We have a very close and continued dialogue with the government on a range of issues. This obviously demonstrates a good working relationship. Bangladesh is a very active Member State of the UN, playing an important role in peacekeeping, in the G77, the LDC Group, and the Climate Vulnerable Forum. What is going to be interesting in the next five to ten years is how the partnerships evolve in light of Bangladesh's LDC graduation. This needs to be a very carefully thought-through, well-researched process that looks toward a sustainable graduation. But it also needs to be understood that the graduation will change the partnership landscape. It changes the expectations of both the government and development partners. We are looking for a transition -- from aid to trade -- which will change the partnership landscape. It changes funding instruments available to the country. We welcome the fact that Bangladesh is giving a lot of importance to LDC graduation and that there is a structure in place to look at implications.
In that sense, I hope that there would be continued recognition of the UN's capacity to bring in technical expertise -- our capacity to play convener and facilitator. But also recognition that the role the UN has played over the past 50 years of Bangladesh's history, may be different from what is required once Bangladesh graduates from LDC status. The country will be able to deliver services. It has a capable civil society that should be given space to play their role, which is critical to sustainable development, and has institutions that should be capacitated to play their part. The UN role, therefore, will evolve.
DS: What are the areas in UN focus for Bangladesh going forward?
Seppo: We are here to extend support to Bangladesh in achieving the SDGs. Our particular emphasis will be on SDG data and on regions or groups of people who are at risk of being left behind, with a specific focus on alleviating the impacts of COVID-19 on poverty and inequality levels. We are working on closing the SDG data gap and ensuring that the data collected is of high quality. We are also looking to bring in expertise and keep the conversation going to support the government in a clean and green recovery. We have a very good dialogue with the government and continue to support it to deliver on its commitment to the SDG agenda, and international norms and standards, including those on human rights. We are also working with the government on SDG financing, looking at the tax ratio and the role of the private sector, for example.
DS: Which part of the country did you like the most?
Seppo: Bangladesh is a small country but boasts a lot of diversity. A place I will always remember is the Chattogram Hill Tracts, because it is unique and because of the forest. I come from a country where the forest is very important culturally, socially, and even for our identity. If the forest in CHT is not protected, the whole watershed -- all the way down to Chattogram and potentially down to Cox's Bazar -- will be devastated. Without that forest, the livelihoods of multiple small ethnic groups who depend on natural resources are at particular risk, while the broader population of the CHT will be increasingly impacted by water shortages. This is a critical issue that needs more attention.
The Sundarbans is also a place I will remember fondly. During my visit, I was lucky enough to see a tiger, so I consider myself very fortunate to have had that experience. Much like the CHT, the Sundarbans is a big part of Bangladesh's climate story. The CHT protects the watershed, while the Sundarbans protects the lungs. The Sundarbans has always been the buffer for weather-related disasters that hit Bangladesh's coastal region. If the Sundarbans is not protected, when disaster strikes, the impact on the coastal region will be much, much worse, so we really need to ensure the Sundarbans are protected to ensure the future of Bangladesh and its sustainable development journey.
Bangladesh has wonderful places everywhere…whether it is the walk along the mighty river in Rajshahi, a fairly green city, Sylhet with its rolling hills, or the haors or Dhaka -- all are beautiful in their own way. But I tell you, managing the cities, tackling growing urbanization is going to be very important -- a challenge that needs to be addressed today, not tomorrow.
DS: What is the best food you enjoyed here?
Seppo: I really enjoyed the fish. I also liked the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. I was not aware of how delicious Bangladeshi mangoes are and the fact that there is such a variety of mangoes has been really interesting.
DS: What makes you worried as you leave Bangladesh?
Seppo: I am afraid of the climate vulnerability that Bangladesh faces. It is the biggest threat to the country. And obviously there is a global responsibility towards the most climate vulnerable countries, but I think at the national level it is also the biggest issue for the country moving forward.
Also, making sure that the country is a place for all Bangladeshis. It is important to allow the voices of all, to allow for diversity and afford space for everybody to be able to contribute and share their ideas, thoughts, energy into taking the country forward. I feel that Bangladesh is a competitive place for Bangladeshis and managing that in a way that allows everybody to keep moving the country forward through their positive energy, and collective efforts toward finding solutions are really important. Whether it is solution for climate change, some of the governance and human rights challenges, or solutions to some of the consequences of the pandemic -- these can only be found through inclusive processes and collective ownership.
DS: What would you miss?
Seppo: I will miss the adda, the conversation. There is such richness in conversation in Bangladesh. This is not necessarily about politics, but about everything. I will also miss travelling around the country, exploring different places, and continuously learning just how much diversity fits into a small country with a huge population.