Bangladesh unanimously elected chairman of Global Coordination Bureau of LDCs

Bangladesh has been “unanimously” elected the new chairman of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

This Bureau works with the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, coordinating programmes for the LDCs.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam formally took over the role from the Minister of MDGs and SDGs of Benin, the group’s immediate past chairman, at a ceremony in New York on Thursday.

The new chair was earlier elected at a meeting at the UN headquarters on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon participated in the high profile meeting and called on the LDCs to invest efforts in implementing the recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

He also assured the LDCs of full UN support to LDC initiatives to rise above their current status.

In his acceptance speech, Alam expressed thanks to the LDCs for reposing confidence in Bangladesh’s leadership by unanimously electing the group’s next Chair.

He said that since becoming a member of the LDCs back in 1974, Bangladesh has always remained “an active member... promoting and protecting the interests of the member countries”.

Alam highlighted Bangladesh’s plans during its tenure as the Chairman.

He stressed the importance of “maintaining harmony and coherence in the Group with its diverse membership”.

He referred to the Istanblul Programme of Action (IPoA), the roadmap of graduation for the LDCs.

And said Bangladesh would hold consultations soon to ensure that the mid-term review of IPoA, scheduled to be held in Turkey next year, is successful and favorable to the LDCs.

  He also mentioned that Bangladesh, as the new Chair, will follow up on the issue of Technology Bank for the LDCs, investment promotion mechanism, and crisis mitigation and resilience building funds.

He assured that Bangladesh would pursue the implementation of the LDC-related commitments, including the investment promotion support centre and regimes for LDCs.

The meeting was attended by the Under-Secretary-General and United Nations High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Foreign Ministers of Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Italy, Nepal, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, Tuvalu, and representatives of Japan, European Union.