I thank you for inviting me to the launching ceremony of the UNSDCF for Bangladesh.
This is indeed a momentous occasion in our collaboration and partnership with the newly reformed and reinvigorated UN Country Team. And I wish to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate you all for being such excellent partners in our development efforts.
We appreciate the close engagement of the UNCT with this Mission in the preparation of this important document, as well as for the adoption of the Country Programme Documents (CPDs) for UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF.
The launching of this cooperation framework coincides with the golden jubilee of our independence and the birth centenary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This also comes at a time when we are poised to start the preparatory period of our graduation journey from the LDC category.
We wish to see tangible contribution of the cooperation framework to support our efforts for sustainable and irreversible graduation. We stress the importance of continued alignment and synergies of the framework with our 8th five-year plan. This will also ensure its effective contribution to a more resilient recovery from the pandemic; and to get back on track for achieving the 2030 Agenda.
Indeed, the real test of the cooperation framework will be in its effective implementation. It is critically important to be guided by the strong monitoring mechanisms envisaged in the document. I am happy to see that the whole process will be overseen jointly by ERD Secretary and the UN Resident Coordinator. I am confident that we will be able to achieve our desired objectives under their able leadership.
I wish to conclude by thanking our colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ERD, and other Ministries; and colleagues in the UN country team, who were closely involved, and have supported this important process.
I look forward to working closely with you all in the implementation of this partnership framework, which we believe, will be an important contribution to the achievement of Vision 2021 and Vision 2041.
I thank you all.