Work together to combat climate change, FM to international community

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has urged the global community to work together for creating “greater synergies” in different global negotiation forums on climate change.

He also stressed the need for adopting a “holistic approach” while speaking at a meeting in Geneva on ‘Human Rights and Climate Change’ on Thursday.
 
Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) organised the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Costa Rica in the chair.
 
The foreign ministry said the minister also stressed “improving the visibility” of the CVF in relation to different institutions to further the common interest of the forum members.
 
Special Envoy of UN Secretary General on Climate Change Mary Robinson met Ali on the sidelines.
 
She conveyed her “appreciation” to the minister for the “leadership role” Bangladesh had been playing in the area of climate change.
 
The foreign minister briefed her on the Bangladesh government’s various adaptation programmes and stressed the need for “adequate international assistance to match national efforts”.
 
Robinson agreed with the minister and hoped that the upcoming climate meet this year would deliver on this.
 
The minister also met with the ILO Director-General Guy Rider and visited the CERN --European Organization for Nuclear Research office in Geneva on Thursday.
 
The ILO Director-General appreciated Bangladesh’s continuing implementation of the ‘Sustainability Compact’ commitments for ensuring labour rights and safety in factories “in spite of constraints and challenges”. 
CERN Director General Rolf Heuer welcomed the minister at his office sits on the border of Switzerland and France. Bangladesh had signed an instrument of cooperation with CERN last year.
 
The DG hoped that Bangladeshi teachers, students and researchers would benefit from this cooperation.

Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to Geneva M Shameem Ahsan, and foreign ministry Director General Md. Mustafizur Rahman accompanied the minister in all the meetings.