Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has underscored the need for intelligence, modern technologies and advanced equipments to enhance capacity of peacekeepers for maintaining peace, protecting civilians and ensuring their own safety and security.
“Intelligence, modern technologies, and advanced equipments are crucial to serve the peacekeepers’ vital interest on the ground, particularly to enhance their capacity for maintaining peace,” he said.
The minister was addressing the Ministerial Conference on ‘Peacekeeping in Francophone Environment’ at Foreign Affairs and International Development Ministry of France on Thursday, according to a message received here on Saturday night.
The Conference, organized by France, aimed at strengthening the Peacekeeping mechanism in the French-speaking environment. France, Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, and Senegal co-chaired the conference.
Highlighting the efforts of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in ensuring sustained peace in the conflict affected areas, Mahmood Ali reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to increase women’s participation in the UN peacekeeping Missions in the coming days.
Taking part in the discussion, UN Under Secretary General (USG) for Peacekeeping Harvey Ladsus, French and Canadian foreign ministers, among others, highly appreciated the Bangladeshi Peacekeepers deployed in the Francophone Missions.
The UN Under Secretary General particularly applauded Bangladesh’s efforts to learn French language to better perform their duties in the Francophone areas.
On the sidelines of the conference, Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali held a bilateral meeting with his French Counterpart on the same day.
During the meeting, they expressed satisfaction over the existing level of cooperation between the two countries and assured each other of further engagement on the issues of mutual interests.
British Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Baroness Joice Anelay also met with Foreign Minister Ali.
Later on the day, Bangladesh, French, Canadian and Senegalese Foreign Ministers briefed the press and media on the conference.
As many as 60 countries and international organizations including 20 ministerial delegations, took part in the Conference.
The Ministerial Conference was preceded by four thematic roundtables held on October 26, where Bangladesh Co-chaired the roundtable-1 on Force
Generation.
Lieutenant General Sabbir Ahmed, Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army and
Ms. Sadia Faizunnesa, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs also
participated in the Conference, the message added.
