Haoliang Xu’s visit significant, says UNDP

The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) regional director for Asia and the Pacific Haoliang Xu arrives in Dhaka on Saturday on a five-day visit.

Xu is also the assistant administrator of the region and the UN Assistant Secretary-General.

He would be in Bangladesh until May 21, UNDP in Dhaka said.

During his visit, Xu will meet senior ministers and key officials to discuss wide-ranging issues of economic growth, importance of innovation and country’s resilience.

UNDP said his visit would assist the international community and the global development partners acquire a better perspective on Bangladesh and its vision for the future.

It said his visit is of “great importance” to Bangladesh as he will take stock of the success of UNDP initiatives to reduce urban poverty, disaster management and climate change adaptation.

To see those projects he would travel to Dakop, a coastal South West district, as well as Hatia.

He will also visit Chittagong Hill Tracts to see UNDP-led initiatives in peace building.

Xu joined UNDP in 1995 and has worked in the Asia and Pacific and Eastern Europe and CIS nations (former Soviet Union) respectively.

Before taking up the current position, he was UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan and Deputy Regional Director for Europe and the CIS in New York.