Sweden Crown Princess Victoria due in Dhaka 18 March

Sweden Crown Princess Victoria will visit Bangladesh on 18–21 March as part of her role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This would be her first trip in her capacity as the goodwill ambassador.

UNDP Assistant Secretary General Ulrika Modéer and Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Johan Forssell, will accompany her during the visit to get a glimpse of the journey of development that Bangladesh has made.

The visit is also an opportunity to study progress and ongoing challenges in the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on climate, gender equality, the green and digital transition and the role of the business sector.

“Sweden and Bangladesh’s partnership goes back more than 50 years and consists of long-term development cooperation and extensive trade,” said Johan Forssell in a statement before the visit.

“Bangladesh has made an impressive development journey in recent years and is expected to transition from a low-income country to a middle-income country in 2026. The business sector, including Swedish companies, plays an important role in promoting the green and digital transition, which contributes significantly to job creation and sustainable growth,” Forssell added.

The Crown Princess will hold meetings with government representatives, entrepreneurs, organisations and development partners, and participate in events focused on the business sector’s role in promoting the green and digital transition.

A series of field visits will centre on themes such as climate adaptation, digitalisation and local solutions. The participants will also visit the biggest refugee camp in the world, Cox’s Bazar, which primarily hosts Rohingya refugees.

Crown Princess Victoria was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP and the SDGs on International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October in 2023.

In her role, she works in Sweden and globally to raise awareness of, and engagement in, the SDGs and a sustainable future where no one is left behind.

Sweden is one of the largest donors of core support to UNDP and also has extensive cooperation with UNDP in Bangladesh.