Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave for New York on September 23 to attend the United Nations special summit on Sustainable Development and the 70th session of the UN General Assembly.
She would highlight Bangladesh’s success stories in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) implementation as well as priority areas of successfully completing the new set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali.
Hasina will lead a 60-member high power official delegation, including finance minister, expatriate welfare minister, foreign minister, PM’s advisers on political, international and economic affairs, state ministers for women and children, and foreign affairs will accompany her.
Besides, a business team will be with the premier.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Ali said Hasina will speak at the UN Sustainable Development Summit on September 27 and the UNGA High Level General Debate on September 30.
The key event of the UN special summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda will be held on September 25-27.
The General Debate of the 70th UNGA session will be held from September 28 to October 6. The PM will stay in New York till October 1.
Apart from attending the summit, Hasina may have a number of bilateral meetings with her counterparts and heads of state of India, China, the USA and other countries.
However, dates for the meetings were yet to be fixed, said Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque.
Hasina will receive the “Champions of the Earth Award” of the United Nations Environment Programme. Besides, she will be honoured with ICT’s Sustainable Development Award for her revolutionary initiatives in building digital Bangladesh. The International Telecommunication Union will confer the award on her.
On the sidelines, Hasina will co-chair an interactive dialogue session with her Belgium counterpart on “fostering sustainable economic growth, transformation and promoting sustainable consumption and production” on September 26.
On September 28, she will co-chair a high-level summit on peace operations with US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The premier will attend a meeting of global leaders on gender equality and women’s empowerment on September 27 at the Chinese president’s invitation.
On September 29, Hasina will take part in leaders’ summit on “countering ISIL and violent extremism” to be organised by Obama. She will uphold Bangladesh’s zero tolerance policy against extremism there.
The same day, the PM will participate in a special event on “moving from MDGs to SDGs: Bangladesh Experience and Expectations” to be arranged by Bangladesh mission to the UN. Top ranking leaders from the UN and different agencies will join the event.
Outside the UNGA, Hasina will deliver her speech on “Girls lead the Way” of World Leaders Forum” at Colombia University on September 25.
On the day, she will also exchange views on Bangladesh trade and investment situations and prospects with the Business Council for International Understanding.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and Director General (UN) of the foreign ministry Mustafizur Rahman were present at the press conference.
