Gear up efforts to get share of global climate fund
UNDP chief urges Bangladesh
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Chief Helen Clark yesterday asked Bangladesh to gear up efforts to obtain its share from the multi-billion-dollar global climate change fund.
She was talking to the media to conclude her three-day trip to Bangladesh at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, also hoped the newly established human rights commission would address the issue of extra-judicial killings and harassment of opposition leaders and activists.
The UNDP administrator hailed Bangladesh for its achievement on some indicators of millennium development goals (MDGs), but said the country has to accelerate its efforts to address issues like maternal mortality and environment.
But most of her talks and queries of journalists were on climate change issue.
Clark said there would be more international finance for the developing countries for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. She hinted the fund might be increased ten fold to $100 billion within a few years.
She said Bangladesh is the country most exposed to climate change in the world. But it cannot draw large-scale fund without proper planning and strategy. "It (Bangladesh) should certainly gear up its efforts to have its share from that."
The chief of the UN development agency said they are supporting countries so that they have the right strategies, policies, and plans in line with adaptation and mitigation of climate change. ''You have to make a proposal for getting the fund.''
Bangladesh has a lot to do in this area for capacity building, and it should have a strong national strategy to fight the climate change, she said.
On carbon development mechanism, she said, ''Most of the money has gone to large economies like China, India, Brazil and South Africa. We are working for the better access to the fund.''
Clark also cautioned against the intensity and varieties of disasters. For the affected areas like Southern Bangladesh, there must be an effective adaptation strategy, she added.
But Clark urged Bangladesh to see the climate change adaptation in the context of disaster risk management.
She is not happy with the developed countries' reluctance to release their promised fund. "Obviously, the money is not coming," she said, ''The UNDP is advocating for other countries so that the funds come as grants, not as loans.''
On the queries into extra-judicial killings and the opposition leaders and activists being picked up, the UNDP chief said, "We expect the newly established human rights commission to have voice on the issue."
She also declined to comment on day-to-day political event of Bangladesh, saying that all countries have internal problems. "I think, we can contribute to over longer period of time, supporting the development of politics through dialogue.''
The UNDP head also said her agency is eager to help Bangladesh prepare a database for population and land registration and criminal records.
"We have also been discussing with ministers on how we can help the government's digital agenda, particularly in the land record, where Bangladesh needs to pay a lot of attention."
She said digitisation is important in terms of Bangladesh's population registry. The use of ICT is also important in improving local governments.
Clark hailed Bangladesh for its significant progress in poverty reduction, primary schooling, gender equality in school and child mortality rate.
Yet Bangladesh has to do a lot to accelerate the pace of work for addressing maternal mortality, she said, adding that one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world is in Bangladesh.
"On MDGs, Bangladesh has achieved something to be really proud of." But she is concerned about the deadline. "We have left only five years to reach the MDG targets by 2015, and it is urgent to accelerate the pace in the areas where we have not achieved much."
She said like many countries, Bangladesh has to work hard on maternal mortalities, as the rate remains high.
Clark, who served as New Zealand's prime minister for three consecutive terms between 1999 and 2008, urged Bangladesh to give due attention to environmental, biodiversity, and conservation issues.
During her visit, Clark met some key figures including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Leaders of the Opposition Khaleda Zia.
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