UN envoy Tom Andrews meets Yunus over Rohingya crisis

He praises the chief advisor’s leadership in drawing international attention to the Rohingya crisis

Tom Andrews, the UN special envoy for human rights in Myanmar, has met with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

During the meeting on Thursday, Andrews praised the chief advisor’s leadership in drawing international attention to the Rohingya crisis, state news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

He noted that the initiative for the international conference on Rohingya, scheduled for Sept 30 at the UN headquarters, had come from Yunus.

“The world is grateful for Bangladesh’s generosity in providing shelter and assistance to the Rohingya,” Andrews is quoted as saying by BSS.

Yunus expressed hope that the upcoming UN conference would pave the way for an effective resolution to the long-standing crisis.

He also voiced regret that a reduction in international assistance for the Rohingya in Bangladesh was making it increasingly difficult to provide essential services, including health and education.

He urged Andrews to continue working to secure adequate funding.

Andrews said Bangladesh was playing a constructive role in seeking a resolution by engaging with multiple parties.

But he also expressed disappointment that the UN secretary-general’s initiative to create a humanitarian channel in Myanmar's Rakhine state, aimed at fostering stability and enabling refugee repatriation, had been obstructed by what he described as “hateful” propaganda, according to the report.

He added that a swift and lasting solution remained possible with the continued efforts of all stakeholders and urged Bangladesh to maintain its leadership on the issue.

Andrews is in Bangladesh to attend a stakeholder dialogue on the Rohingya issue in Cox’s Bazar on Aug 25, which will be inaugurated by Yunus.