New York, 10 January 2024:

Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations has been elected as the President of the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS for 2024, at the elections held at United Nations Headquarters, today. The member states also elected the Ambassadors of Colombia, Germany, Romania and Ethiopia as Vice-Presidents of the Executive Board.

With this election, Bangladesh takes up the Presidency of the Executive Board of these three very important agencies of the United Nations. As the President of the Board, Bangladesh will be able to contribute further to the work of the UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS, who have specific mandates to support the countries achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Bangladesh will also be able to work closely with the other board members and the leaderships of these three vital UN Agencies and provide them with strategic guidance.

In his inaugural statement, Ambassador Muhith thanked the members of the Executive Board for electing him as the President. He also expressed his appreciations to UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS for their remarkable contributions in empowering people around the world and advancing their development aspirations.

“In the context of the difficult challenges that the development agenda of the United Nations suffer due to the pandemic and ongoing humanitarian and climate crises, UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS need to prepare themselves to deliver better, based on new and reinvigorated multilateral commitments and through coordinate efforts and engagement with all stakeholders. And the Executive Board will remain ready to provide those agencies with necessary direction and resources so that they can continue to be at the forefront of all such efforts,” he added. 

The election of Ambassador Muhith as the President of the Board comes as a demonstration of the trust and confidence that Bangladesh enjoys in the UN as well as recognition of Bangladesh’s unique success in achieving sustainable development through innovative means under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Since joining this Mission as the Permanent Representative in July 2022, Ambassador Muhith has served as the Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, the President of the Executive Board of UN-Women and the Vice-President of the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS.