Don’t Allow Geopolitical Rivalries to Weaken UN: PM Sheikh Hasina

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for not allowing geopolitical rivalries to undermine the United Nations ( UN), as the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has shown that the UN is needed more than ever by both developed and developing nations.

"Our geopolitical rivalries must not be permitted to disrupt the UN. We owe it to the founding fathers and future generations to make the United Nations a genuinely productive global organization for all of humanity,' she said.

The Prime Minister said this while delivering her speech on Tuesday (Bangladesh Time) virtually in the early hours at a high-level event organized at its headquarters in New York to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, reports UNB.

She said the emerging challenges, including the emerging pandemic, go beyond boundaries and Covid-19 has made it more difficult to achieve the 2030 Agenda. "The inadequacies of the new international order have been revealed," she added.

At the same time, the pandemic has shown that the UN is needed more than ever by both developed and developing nations. It has shown us that the way forward is multilateralism, ”she said.

Sheikh Hasina urged the United Nations to include a trustworthy and realistic roadmap for commitment fulfillment and decisive response to global challenges.

"UN@75 should have a credible and realistic roadmap for meeting commitments and reacting decisively to global challenges in order to take the UN on the right track towards its centenary and beyond," she said.

Noting that the 75th anniversary celebration of the United Nations is a momentous occasion for all, the Prime Minister said the commemoration bears special significance in Bangladesh as it coincides with the Birth Centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She pointed out that at the 1974 UN Assembly, Bangabandhu had said, "... the United Nations remains the focus of man's hope for the future."

In history, we have seen moments that make us re-group in order to change the direction of human culture. Another such moment is posed by UN@75. Let us seize the moment,' Sheikh Hasina said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh owes a great deal to the UN as it has benefited from the development efforts of the United Nations.

Referring to the contribution of Bangladesh to UN peacekeeping missions, she said Bangladesh is contributing to the fulfillment of its mandates by the UN.

We are committed to upholding worldwide peace. Bangladesh is currently the leading country for troops and police in all peace operations,” she said, adding that some 150 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have lost their lives in conflict-ravaged countries to secure peace.

Sheikh Hasina commended the Secretary-General of the United Nations in her speech for keeping the flag of multilateralism high.