The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) has chosen international mental health expert Saima Wazed Hossain as its thematic ambassador.
The daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Saima Wazed is an advisor of the WHO’s director general and Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Autism in Bangladesh.
The foreign ministry said she would be one of the four thematic ambassadors. She would act on the ‘vulnerability’ domain.
Speaker and former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Philippines Loren Legarda and Lead Climate Change Specialist of DR of Congo Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu are the other three thematic Ambassadors who would act on - Ambition, Parliament and Renewable Energy themes.
Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen, on behalf of the Bangladesh Presidency and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, invited them to take the roles.
As CVF Thematic Ambassadors they will endeavor to create global public campaign and mobilize different stakeholders, groups and voices to raise global awareness on climate vulnerabilities, especially to pursue countries to keep the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5 degree centigrade alive.
The Thematic Ambassadors will also help pursue the agenda and key priorities of the CVF Presidency and contribute to safeguarding the interests of the climate vulnerable countries by outreaching existing and new networks beyond the executive branch of the government.
They will advocate on behalf of CVF countries and coordinate international cooperation to fight against the adverse impacts of climate change.
After assuming the Presidency of CVF and the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group of Finance Ministers, Bangladesh has decided to engage six thematic Ambassadors to help strengthen its networking and engagements with key actors throughout the world in six identified core areas of ambition, culture, finance, parliaments, renewable energy and vulnerability.
Saima Wazed, Mohamed Nasheed, Loren Legarda and Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu are highly regarded in their respective domains.
“Their selection reflects their outstanding and prolonged expertise and dedication in their fields of work,” the foreign ministry said.
Two more Thematic Ambassadors for culture and finance will also be appointed from Marshall Islands and Costa Rica.
The foreign ministry said Saima Wazed is an expert on neurodevelopment disorders and mental health, and an accomplished speaker and author.
She is widely credited for bringing the mental health issues to the mainstream and breaking social barriers to acceptance of persons with disabilities and was instrumental for the adoption of UN resolution titled ‘Addressing the Socioeconomic Needs of Individuals, Families and Societies Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders, Developmental Disorders and Associated Disabilities’ in 2012.
Mohamed Nasheed’s relentless efforts in promoting ambition in climate change and for reducing global carbon emission are globally acclaimed.
His unique initiative in holding the underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the threat of climate change and global warming received global attention during his presidency.
Loren Legarda is one of the most prolific parliamentarians in the world and is behind a host of acts of the Philippines parliament on climate change.
She was instrumental in establishing the CVF in 2009 with President Nasheed and later the V-20 Group of Finance Ministers.
Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu has several years of experience in the areas of finance, climate change, economic development, carbon markets, renewable energy, environment and diplomacy, the foreign ministry said.
