UNB, Dhaka :
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam has said a robust framework of global cooperation and partnership between the developed and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is required for the LDCs to graduate as well as to attain the post-2015 development goals.
He stressed the urgency on Tuesday while addressing the Ministerial Meeting of Asia-Pacific LDCs on Graduation and post-2015 Development Agenda being held in Kathmandu.
Ministers of Asia-Pacific LDCs got together in the meeting to find out ways and means to address the challenges faced by the LDCs in their efforts to graduate from the LDC category.
Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala inaugurated the three-day meeting, said a Foreign Ministry media release on Tuesday night.
Addressing the opening session of the meeting, Shahriar Alam mentioned Bangladesh’s aspiration to graduate out of the LDC category by the end of this decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He said, that the international community and the development partners must pay thoughtful attention to the serious structural impediments
to growth and high exposure to shocks and disasters by the LDCs.
Highlighting restrictive import measures increasingly by some countries constraining the LDC exports and interests, the State Minister called for an ‘enabling global environment’ for the LDCs to be benefitted from the globalized movement of goods, services, investment, finance, trade, knowledge, and people.
Referring to the Istanbul Programme of Action that calls for wider international support measures for the LDCs in terms of accessible development finance, market access, investment, capacity-building and technology, the State Minister emphasized that these are critically important to bring in transformation in the economic structures of the LDCs.
In this context, he hailed the international community’s effort to set up the Technology Bank which is gradually taking shape.
Referring to the climate change impact and other vulnerabilities and uncertainties of the LDCs, Shahriar Alam stressed that the efforts by the LDCs to develop adaptive technologies also need to be fully supported.
He reminded the meeting that the graduation of the LDCs and the implementation of post-2015 development goals are intricately interlinked as the post-2015 development agenda would impact the way the LDCs undertake plans and programmes at national and sub-national levels.
On the sideline of the meeting, State Minister Shahriar Alam called on the Prime Minister of Nepal.
He recalled the personal contribution of Sushil Koirala and his party in strengthening the capability of the freedom fighters during the historic Liberation War of Bangladesh.
During the meeting, they expressed satisfaction at the current warm relations between Bangladesh and Nepal. As both the countries aspire for graduation from the LDC category, the two leaders reiterated their resolve to work together in a spirit of cooperation with emphasis particularly on connectivity and infrastructure.
The Under Secretary General and High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Gyan Chandra Acharya, met the Bangladesh State Minister on the sideline of the meeting.
They exchanged views on different development challenges encountered by the LDCs and on way forward for graduation.
The State Minister briefed the USG of the various efforts taken by Bangladesh Government for sustained economic development in the country and hoped that UN agencies would provide more support in its efforts to achieve the post-2015 development goals as well as its aspiration to become a developing country.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam has said a robust framework of global cooperation and partnership between the developed and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is required for the LDCs to graduate as well as to attain the post-2015 development goals.
He stressed the urgency on Tuesday while addressing the Ministerial Meeting of Asia-Pacific LDCs on Graduation and post-2015 Development Agenda being held in Kathmandu.
Ministers of Asia-Pacific LDCs got together in the meeting to find out ways and means to address the challenges faced by the LDCs in their efforts to graduate from the LDC category.
Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala inaugurated the three-day meeting, said a Foreign Ministry media release on Tuesday night.
Addressing the opening session of the meeting, Shahriar Alam mentioned Bangladesh’s aspiration to graduate out of the LDC category by the end of this decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He said, that the international community and the development partners must pay thoughtful attention to the serious structural impediments
to growth and high exposure to shocks and disasters by the LDCs.
Highlighting restrictive import measures increasingly by some countries constraining the LDC exports and interests, the State Minister called for an ‘enabling global environment’ for the LDCs to be benefitted from the globalized movement of goods, services, investment, finance, trade, knowledge, and people.
Referring to the Istanbul Programme of Action that calls for wider international support measures for the LDCs in terms of accessible development finance, market access, investment, capacity-building and technology, the State Minister emphasized that these are critically important to bring in transformation in the economic structures of the LDCs.
In this context, he hailed the international community’s effort to set up the Technology Bank which is gradually taking shape.
Referring to the climate change impact and other vulnerabilities and uncertainties of the LDCs, Shahriar Alam stressed that the efforts by the LDCs to develop adaptive technologies also need to be fully supported.
He reminded the meeting that the graduation of the LDCs and the implementation of post-2015 development goals are intricately interlinked as the post-2015 development agenda would impact the way the LDCs undertake plans and programmes at national and sub-national levels.
On the sideline of the meeting, State Minister Shahriar Alam called on the Prime Minister of Nepal.
He recalled the personal contribution of Sushil Koirala and his party in strengthening the capability of the freedom fighters during the historic Liberation War of Bangladesh.
During the meeting, they expressed satisfaction at the current warm relations between Bangladesh and Nepal. As both the countries aspire for graduation from the LDC category, the two leaders reiterated their resolve to work together in a spirit of cooperation with emphasis particularly on connectivity and infrastructure.
The Under Secretary General and High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, Gyan Chandra Acharya, met the Bangladesh State Minister on the sideline of the meeting.
They exchanged views on different development challenges encountered by the LDCs and on way forward for graduation.
The State Minister briefed the USG of the various efforts taken by Bangladesh Government for sustained economic development in the country and hoped that UN agencies would provide more support in its efforts to achieve the post-2015 development goals as well as its aspiration to become a developing country.
