PM to leave for Türkiye Tuesday to attend COP31 summit

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a plenary session on November 12 and hold several bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury briefed reporters about the visit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Bangladesh is looking to arrange bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Australian Prime Minister, the President of Uzbekistan and the British Foreign Secretary.

Additional Foreign Secretary (Public Diplomacy and Other Priority Matters) A.K.M. Shahidul Karim and senior ministry officials were also present.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam recently said Bangladesh would urge developed countries to provide climate finance in the form of grants rather than loans and take responsibility for their contribution to global carbon emissions at the upcoming COP31.

COP, officially known as the Conference of the Parties, is the annual United Nations climate summit.

Bangladesh will highlight its achievements in climate resilience and share its experience in addressing the impacts of climate change across South Asia and the wider Asian region.

At the same time, the country will draw attention to the support it needs to tackle future climate challenges, particularly the importance of ensuring that climate finance comes in the form of grants rather than loans.

Bangladesh will also press major carbon-emitting countries to take responsibility for their emissions and ensure accountability in global climate negotiations.

"Although Bangladesh's contribution to global carbon emissions is almost negligible, we are ultimately among those suffering the consequences," Shama Obaed said recently.

The government will also showcase the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman over the past six months to address climate change and improve the environment.

These include canal excavation, tree plantation drives and a stronger focus on solar power and renewable energy, all of which contribute to climate change mitigation and environmental protection.

An inter-ministerial coordination meeting chaired by State Minister Shama last month reviewed Bangladesh's preparations for the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).

The meeting discussed various aspects of the preparations, including the Prime Minister's participation in the high-level segment of the summit.

It also reviewed Bangladesh's priorities and concerns, possible bilateral engagements and seminars to be organised at the country's pavilions in the Blue and Green Zones on the sidelines of COP31, reports UNB.