Bangladesh global peace efforts lauded
Assistant United Nations (UN) Secretary General for Peacekeeping Support Judy Cheng-Hopkins yesterday said Bangladesh is unparalleled in global peacekeeping with decades of experience.
“It takes time to get acquainted with how the UN functions and what to expect in other countries during peacekeeping missions,” she said adding that Bangladesh also has a comparative advantage on community development activities, creating employment and agricultural activities.
“Bangladesh has a unique comparative advantage [in peacekeeping], and we should sit down and come up with strategic plans on how the country can play a larger role in peacekeeping and peace building activities in the future,” she said.
The UN assistant secretary general was addressing a seminar on “Bangladesh for Global Peace, Democracy and Development”.
The foreign affairs ministry organised the seminar at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the city marking the 'International Day of UN Peace Keeper 2011' observed on May 29.
Speakers at the seminar said Bangladesh is the top country when it comes to contributing to peacekeeping activities around the world.
Now Bangladesh has over 8,000 officers participating in 11 missions in 10 countries, said Lt General Abdul Wadud, principal staff officer of Armed Forces Division, in his presentation.
The country also has the highest number of police officers deployed for peacekeeping missions, said Hasan Mahmud Khandoker, inspector general of police, adding that 7.5 percent of the officers are women.
Other speakers at the programme said the definition of peace has changed and now it has a multidimensional meaning.
Now peacekeeping involves going a few steps further and ensure that peace, development, democracy and progress of the host country is sustained, they said.
“Peacekeeping and peace building has become the UN's most visible activities, and Bangladesh takes pride in being a part of it,” said Foreign Minister Dipu Moni in her keynote address.
“More than 12 percent of the UN's peacekeeping troops are from Bangladesh, and its activities have earned the country the credential of being reliable and credible in its peacekeeping activities,” she said.
Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes chaired the programme while Security Adviser to the Prime Minister Maj Gen (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and International Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Gowher Rizvi, among others, spoke.
Senior armed forces and police officials, including the chief of army staff, chief of naval staff and acting air chief, members of the diplomatic community and UN agency heads as well as members of the civil society also attended the seminar.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments