Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen, MP emphasized on establishing a forum of development, finance, economic and Foreign Ministers of South-South dialogue and explore the potentials of accelerated development at an international conference in Bangkok yesterday. Dr. Momen made these comments, as keynote speaker of the opening day, during a virtual roundtable “Our Common Agenda – A Ministerial Dialogue” organized by United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, that was held yesterday. Global South-South Development Expo 2022 is going from 12~15 September 2022 at Bangkok, Thailand. 

 

Noting that the South-South Cooperation was built on the foundations of solidarity, the Foreign Minister said, global solidarity is needed to find new ways to rebuild the world. Dr. Momen noted that the initiative needs to be taken to the next level for higher national wellbeing, national collective self-reliance and the attainment of international development goals including the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

At the round table, Dr. Momen shared the Bangladesh positions on cooperation, collaboration and co-creation. He emphasized on the motto of foreign policy of Bangladesh which was outlined by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as Friendship to All and Malice towards None - as the bedrock of an inclusive international developmental agenda. He also highlighted some of the cardinal principles of the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for traversing the long development path within the shortest span of time. He outlined the Prime Minister’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship in attaining national and international development objectives. Health, Covid-19, Ukraine crisis, inflation, supply chain instabilities featured prominently in the Minister’s speech. He also drew attention to climate change and natural disasters as verticals for concerted development cooperation.

 

Mr. Santiago Andrés Cafiero, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina and President of the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Ms. Rabab Fatima, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States(UNOHRLLS) joined the discussions. The conference would conclude on the 14th. Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen would deliver the keynote speech on the closing ceremonies at the matchmaking session.