Momen For International Financing to Support Climate Migrants

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has underlined the need for establishing international financing mechanisms to support climate migrants under the proposed "Loss and Damage Fund" for the climate vulnerable countries.

He also emphasized the importance of targeted policy interventions for climate migrants as part of the global commitment to 'leave no one behind'.

The foreign minister made the comments while addressing at the High-Level Breakfast of the Climate Mobility Summit on 'Harnessing Climate Mobility for Adaptation and Resilience' held on Wednesday on the sideline of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York, according to a foreign ministry press release received here today.

Dr Momen also urged for mainstreaming of the issue of climate mobility in both climate change and migration discourses.

The foreign minister highlighted Bangladesh's climate vulnerability and the challenges posed by climate-induced displacement of approximately 650,000 people every year.

He shared various actions taken by the Bangladesh government to address climate-induced displacements in the country, including the world's largest climate migrants' rehabilitation project in Cox's Bazar.

Moderated by Director General-elect of International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Amy Pope, the event was co-hosted by Bangladesh, Tuvalu, Niger, Botswana, Tonga, Comoros, Guatemala, IOM, President of the UN General Assembly and UN Global Centre of Climate Mobility.

Heads of states or governments, ministers and the high officials of various UN agencies took part in the discussion.

The leaders underscored the gravity of the climate crisis, pointing out that by 2050, over 200 million people could be forced to leave their homes due to climate change impacts.

They also stressed that women and girls, young people, individuals with disabilities and indigenous communities suffer disproportionately from these effects.

The timely mobilization of resources for climate finance and the implementation of early warning systems and data management were highlighted as crucial aspects of any solution.