United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres has been invited to visit Bangladesh in 2025 to observe the country’s ongoing transformation firsthand.
Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, extended the invitation on behalf of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus during a farewell meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, according to a message received today.
The UN secretary general reaffirmed his full support for the interim government led by Professor Yunus and expressed optimism about Bangladesh's continued active role in advancing multilateralism within the UN framework.
He highlighted Bangladesh's significant contributions to tackling global challenges, including climate change, development, peace and security, and food and water insecurity.
During their discussion, Ambassador Muhith also addressed the upcoming high-level International Conference on the Rohingya issue, scheduled for early 2025. The conference, endorsed by a resolution adopted during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, seeks to comprehensively review the crisis and propose a sustainable, time-bound solution.
The envoy sought the Secretary General’s cooperation in organizing the event, emphasizing its focus on ensuring the voluntary, safe, and dignified repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar. In response, Guterres reiterated his concern for the Rohingya plight, praised Bangladesh's generosity in hosting them, and assured full UN support for the conference’s success.
Ambassador Muhith also updated the UN chief on the establishment of six reform commissions by the interim government as part of its preparations for a free, fair, and credible general election.
The secretary general commended Ambassador Muhith’s exceptional contributions to the UN and expressed confidence that Bangladesh would continue to benefit from his expertise in multilateral diplomacy.
Muhith, a seasoned diplomat and former ambassador to Austria and Denmark, has served at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission to the UN since August 2022.
BDST: 1233 HRS, DEC 18, 2024
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