UN migration pact finally adopted
In a historic move, United Nations member states have finally adopted a new agreement on international migration at a conference in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The Global Compact for Migration which the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres described as the creation of a 'roadmap to prevent suffering and chaos' was adopted on Monday.
However, a number of countries including the United States refused to sign the nonbinding accord.
A foreign ministry press release on Tuesday stated that prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s proposal of UN Global Compact on Migration has been adopted.
The Bangladesh delegation led by foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque is attending the intergovernmental conference in the Marrakesh city.
Shahidul Haque delivered the national statement at the plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference of UN to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
In the statement, he recalled the proposal for the Global Compact for migration made by prime minister Sheikh Hasina in her address at the UNGA in 2016.
The compact was adopted to which Bangladesh affirmed full support and to its implementation.
The Bangladesh delegation also includes M Shameem Ahsan, permanent representative of Bangladesh to the UN offices in Geneva, Masud Bin Momen, permanent mission of Bangladesh to the UN, Rownaq Jahan, secretary, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Munirus Salehin, additional secretary, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and Sultana Laila Hossain, ambassador of Bangladesh to Morocco.
On the margin of the high-level intergovernmental conference to adopt the safe, orderly and regular migration, the president of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces met with the foreign secretary.
The president of the General Assembly applauded the pioneering role of Bangladesh for mooting the idea of a Global Compact for Migration and Championing in women empowerment.
She further praised the visionary leadership and commitment of the foreign secretary to work for the collective good which the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described as the creation of a 'roadmap to prevent suffering and chaos.'
Foreign secretary Shahidul Haque also held a meeting with director general of IOM Antonio Vittorino to discuss on the future implementation mechanism of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
At the invitation of UNEP, foreign secretary participated as a panellist in an event on 'Addressing natural disasters, adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation – solution for human mobility and human security'.
The foreign secretary presented the multifaceted challenges of climate change and environmental degradation faced in recent time by Bangladesh and other climate vulnerable countries.
He highlighted some innovative adaptation processes developed by the local inhabitants as a manifestation of their social resilience.
Director general of IOM Antonio Vittorini, UN high-commissioner for refugees Philippo Grandi, high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachellet, minister of Tuvalu, director of UNEP also attended the event as panellists.
Bangladesh embassy in Morocco arranged a multi-stakeholder breakfast meeting on Sunday attended by international migration experts, representatives from the UN member states including EU, UN agencies, civil society and think tanks to exchange views on the implementation aspect of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
Foreign secretary briefed the audience on how Bangladesh looks at the newly adopted global compact and challenges of implementation.
He also mentioned about Bangladesh’s initiative in framing a draft national strategy on migration governance to address migration in all its forms and manifestations.