PM Hasina returned home from Italy

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home after attending the United Nations Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment from Italy in the early hours of Thursday (27 July). A regular flight of Qatar Airways, carrying the PM and her entourage members, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 01:50am after making over one hour stopover at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

Earlier, the flight departed from Rome Fiumicino Airport at 9:40am local time (01:40pm BST).

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina went to Rome, Italy on June 23 on a three-day official visit to join the UNFSS+2 conference at the invitation of the UN secretary general António Guterres.

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

During her visit The PM addressed the official opening of the conference at the FAO Headquarters as the special guest speaker on July 24.

At that time around 2000 participants from over 160 countries, including over 20 heads of state and government, attended the UNFSS+2.

Sheikh Hasina also participated in the plenary session titled ‘Food Systems and Climate Action’.

Later on the evening of the same day, she also joined the inaugural ceremony of Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in FAO headquarters.

PM Hasina also had a bilateral meeting with her Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the newly opened Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in the FAO headquarters on the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit.

As part of various meetings conducted by The Prome Minister three Italian ministers -Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio - also paid a courtesy call on her at the 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 paid courtesy call on the prime minister.

Earlier 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 PM also joined a community reception accorded to her hosted by the expatriate Bangladeshis in Italy.