ZCZC
BSS-40
MOMEN-NAM-SUMMIT
Momen for In’t strategy to recover vulnerable countries’ economies
DHAKA, May 4, 2020 (BSS) – Foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today urged
the international community to take a clear strategy for economic recovery of
vulnerable countries due to COVID-19 pandemic that has pushed global trade
into tailspin.
“The international community must devise a clear strategy … It should
include protection of jobs of the migrant population and ensuring the flow of
vital medical supplies and essential goods, services and food supply chains,”
he said.
The foreign minister was presenting Bangladesh statement today in an
Online Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group Summit for formulating the
NAM’s response to the extra-ordinary crisis resulting from the COVID-19.
Noting that the pandemic’s adverse effect forced Bangladesh’s two major
economic engines – ready-made garments (RMG) and remittance – to an instable
state, Momen urged the NAM members to work out innovative solutions and
approaches to tackle the crisis.
The foreign minister suggested that short-medium-long term support from
the bilateral and multilateral development partners are needed to implement
the proposed international strategy for economic recovery of the vulnerable
countries due to global outbreak of deadly coronavirus.
Momen emphasized that the NAM’s response must be embedded in
multilateralism and international solidarity through forging a robust global
partnership with the G7, G20, OECD, and the UN.
The foreign minister also highlighted how Bangladesh has been coping with
the pandemic under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina,
who issued a 31-point directive seeking to mitigate its impact on our
population.
Momen informed the NAM leaders that Bangladesh government has already
allocated nearly USD 11.6 billion to help the vulnerable people and
businesses to bear with the shocks of the pandemic.
Presided over by Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev who is current Chair of
the Movement, the Online Summit was attended by Heads of states or
governments, foreign ministers and other dignitaries of NAM member countries
as well as high officials of the United Nations.
More than 243,000 people have so far been killed and 3.4 million infected
worldwide by the COVID-19, which has left half of humanity under some form of
lockdown and pushed the global economy towards its worst downturn since the
Great Depression.
BSS/PR/TA/KU/1954 HRS