Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said that the United Nations has “a responsibility to ensure just and equitable distribution of vaccines so that we are not back to square one”.
“During this challenging time, the UN can guide us in chartering a roadmap and shaping our future where our security would be guaranteed, environment protected, development ensured, pandemics defeated, and human rights respected,” he said.
“On our part, we remain committed to working together with the United Nations to foster reinvigorated global action to ensure the future we want leaving no one behind.”
The minister was speaking at the Bangabandhu lecture series on “Bangabandhu, Bangladesh and the United Nations”. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, was also present.
The foreign minister said hidden in the long shadow of the Covid-19, the world is passing through a dark time.
“Many parts of the world, including our neighborhood, are battling a deadly second wave. Although multiple vaccines have now been developed, access to vaccines, particularly by the countries of the global South has been dismal. We should not forget that the pandemic is such a crisis that necessitates vaccines made available for all.”
He said the UNGA President’s visit bears a special significance as it coincides with the celebration of two of the momentous events in the nation’s history.
“We are in the midst of celebrating the Birth Centenary of the Father of our Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This year also marks the Golden Jubilee of our independence.”
“The genesis of Bangladesh’s multilateral engagement was rooted in the historic speech of the Father of our Nation delivered in the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 1974. His powerful pronouncement “that the Bangalee nation fully commits itself to the building of a world order, where the aspiration of all men for peace and justice will be realized” serves as a guiding principle for our engagement with the global assembly. Inspired by Bangabandhu’s vision, Bangladesh has been partnering with the UN as a strong promoter of world peace; active contributor to global development and faithful upholder of the universal values of human rights.
“If we carefully analyze Bangabandhu’s maiden speech at the UNGA, it is evident that the speech was futuristic and forward-leaning; many of the issues that Bangabandhu raised are as relevant today as they were at that time. That landmark speech represented the aspirations of our people and the needs of the newly independent Bangladesh. The Foreign Policy that we are pursuing today under the leadership of Bangabandhu's illustrious daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, emanates from the fundamental values of the policies espoused by the Father of the Nation,” he said.
The foreign minister said Bangabandhu’s peace-centric Foreign Policy dictum “Friendship to all, Malice to none” shaped our engagement with the United Nations. Together with the UN we are working for a peaceful and prosperous world. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding are pre-eminent features of our foreign policy objectives. Bangladesh has consistently been one of the top troops and police contributing countries. We are one of the original proponents of the concept of Culture of Peace, promoting harmony across cultures and communities. Our abiding commitment to complete disarmament including nuclear disarmament is a manifestation of our peace-centric foreign policy, as espoused by the Father of the Nation in his maiden speech at the UN General Assembly.
“Climate change has been a persistent challenge faced by Bangladesh, as was highlighted by the Father of the Nation at the UN. As we undertake different efforts to address this challenge, we are continuously inspired and guided by Bangabandhu’s emphasis on creating an institutional framework which he proposed back in 1974. Bangladesh has always been a strong proponent of multilateralism. Bangladesh’s early support for the Paris Accord on Climate Change, and our leadership roles in the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) is a testimony to our unflinching commitment to multilateralism,” he said.
“Bangladesh today is acclaimed as a 'role model for development', 'a star of women empowerment,' ‘a Champion of the Earth,’ and ‘a standard-bearer of the South.’
“Our government has made exemplary achievements in implementing the SDGs, increasing women empowerment, enhancing access to economic and social rights, achieving food security, and reducing inequalities. Our economic performance for the last 11 years has been stellar, leading the country to graduate from the LDC status. We are rightly on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030, despite the shocks of the pandemic, and become a developed country by 2041 and a prosperous delta by 2100.”
