PM Leaves Rome for Country

After a three-day official trip to Italy to attend the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned today for home.

At 09:45 local time (01:45 BST), a routine Qatar Airways aircraft carrying the prime minister and her entourage departed from Rome's Fiumicino Airport.

The flight is expected to stop in Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, for more than an hour before continuing on to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka at 02:05am (BST) on Thursday.

The prime minister arrived in Rome, Italy on June 23 to join UNFSS+2 conference at the invitation of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres.

The UNFSS+2 conference was held at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters on July 24-26 with the theme "Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity: Diverse Pathways in a Shared Journey".

On July 24, the premier spoke at the conference's official launch as a special guest speaker.

Over 20 heads of state and government were among the 2000 attendees from more than 160 nations that attended the UNFSS+2.

Sheikh Hasina took part in the panel discussion on "Food Systems and Climate Action" as well.

She also attended the opening ceremony of the Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room at FAO headquarters the same evening.

On the fringes of the UN Food Systems Summit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met with her Nepalese colleague Pushpa Kamal Dahal in a private setting in the recently inaugurated Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room at the FAO headquarters.

In addition, three Italian ministers -Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio - also paid a courtesy call on the Bangladesh prime minister at FAO headquarters.

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu, President of International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) Alvaro Lario and World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy Hensley McCain, as well, paid courtesy call on the premier.

On July 25, the premier attended the "Regional Envoys Conference" organised with Bangladesh ambassadors stationed in 15 European countries.

Sheikh Hasina also had a bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.

During the meeting, two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) - "Cooperation in the Field of Energy" and "Cultural Exchange Programme" - were exchanged in presence of the two prime ministers.

The prime minister also joined a community reception accorded to her hosted by the expatriate Bangladeshis in Italy.

Source: BSS