Alongside making remarkable financial success, Bangladesh is also gaining strong foothold in the arena of global policy making as the country now holds important posts in different key global forums. Bangladesh’s leadership in the global forums is also the result of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership under which the country is speeding on the highway of development, experts opine.
Bangladesh holds the post of chairman, vice-chairman and executive member in many influential international forums and plays vital role in policy making and implementing them. Bangladesh holds important post in the executive committees of different global associations including Commonwealth, Human rights council, UNICEF, UNESCO, International Criminal Court, UN Women, OPCW, RCG, APG and Indian Ocean Rim Association and playing important role in policy making of these vital global forums.
Due to leadership in global forums, Bangladesh has been playing important role in preserving interests of developing countries, and can also use the opportunity for achieving national development goal. Bangladesh is the chairman of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), a global forum comprising 189 countries. Bangladesh has been holding the post of the chairman of the Netherlands-based organisation for two years now. Being elected the chairman of OPCW is considered a big diplomatic achievement of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is the chairman of the Regional Consultative Group (RCG), the biggest platform for disaster management and humanitarian cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, formed at the initiative of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). RCG prepares operational plan and strengthens civil-military coordination in inter-country disaster management.
Another important global organisation is Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which determine the international standard in preventing money laundering and terrorism financing. Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) is the Asia-Pacific chapter of FATF. Bangladesh along with Australia is the co-chair of APG. Bangladesh will be the co-chair till 2020, and work as a member of steering group till 2021.
Bangladesh has been elected a member of the 16-member UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for three years in January last. Bangladesh obtained 178 votes out of the 193 UN member countries. Besides, Bangladesh has been elected a member of the Commission on the Status of Woman (CSW) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission (ECOSOC) from the Asia-Pacific region. Bangladesh is elected member of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the UN Women, a United Nations entity working for the empowerment of women.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is one of the most important entity of the United Nations. UNESCO’s aim is to contribute to the building of peace, eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. Bangladesh has been elected a member of the executive council of the UNESCO for four years for 2017 to 2021 tenure.
The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 53 countries. Bangladesh has been selected a member of the 16-member executive committee of the influential organisation for two years in 2018. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is a dynamic inter-governmental organisation aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 22 Member States and 9 Dialogue Partners. Currently Bangladesh is the vice-chairman of IORA for 2019-2021 tenure and will be the chairman for 2021-2023 tenure.
Bangladesh has been elected unanimously as the member of Bureau of the Assembly of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for two years, 2019-2020. The Bureau of the Assembly of the ICC consists of 21 countries among 123 member countries. The ICC is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. The influential organisation has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.
Foreign minister Dr Abdul Momen, who was a permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, said during only in his tenure in the UN, Bangladesh participated in 52 elections among which Bangladesh was defeated to none. It was possible because Bangladesh has maintained friendly relation with all the countries around the globe.
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