Bangladesh reaffirmed its commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14: “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”, in the 2nd UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, foreign ministry said on Friday.
Foreign Minister Dr A. K. Abdul Momen, while delivering the country statement at the plenary session of the conference on Thursday made the commitment.
Secretary of the Maritime Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Rear Admiral (Retd.) Md. Khurshed Alam, BN, Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Mr Tarik Ahsan and other officials were the delegation members who accompanied the foreign minister at the conference.
During his statement, the Foreign Minister attached importance to marine science for eradicating poverty, contributing to food security, conserving the world’s marine environment and resources, helping to predict and respond to natural and anthropogenic events and promoting the sustainable development of the oceans and seas in his statement.
Foreign Minister stated that, under the able leadership and guidance of Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh settled the maritime boundary issues with both the neighbours and is poised to collaboratively utilize the resources.
To eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, the Government of Bangladesh declared an area totalling about 8.8 per cent of its Exclusive Economic Zone as Marine Protected Areas and implemented it in its National Plan of Action in 2019.
The government has amended Bangladesh Ship Recycle Act 2018 and set a target of compliance with the Hong Kong Convention by 2023.
Bangladesh also announced new actions aimed at ensuring safe ship recycling by 2023 and is the first amongst developing countries to take initiative to ban the manufacture of single-use plastic shopping bags, the FM said.
Stressing the importance of capacity development and even distribution of scientific knowledge, he viewed those disparities in scientific capacity in terms of financial, technological, and human resources between developed and developing countries must be addressed for sustainable management of the ocean.
He affirmed that Bangladesh is ready to cooperate in keeping with its capabilities to actively engage with the developed countries willing to transfer marine science and marine technology on fair and reasonable terms and conditions in accordance with the provisions of part XIV of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Foreign Minister arrived in Lisbon on Thursday (30 June, 2022) on a two-day visit to Portugal to lead the Bangladesh delegation to the 2nd UN ocean conference 2022. He was received at the airport by Ambassador of Bangladesh to Portugal Tarik Ahsan and other officials of the Embassy, representatives of the host government as well as leaders of the Bangladesh community of Portugal.
Later, the Minister visited the permanent Shaheed Minar situated at a public park in Lisbon, named Campo dos Mártires da Pátria and paid his tribute to the language martyrs by placing floral wreaths.
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