Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Embassy of Bangladesh
Paris, France
Press Release
Role of Bangladesh in UN Peacekeeping is highly praised
Paris, 27 October 2016: Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP, Hon’ble Foreign Minister attended a Ministerial Conference on ‘Peacekeeping in Francophone Environment’ at the International Convention Centre, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development of France today.
He was taking part at the Ministerial at the invitation of Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development of France. The Conference, organized by France, aimed at strengthening the Peacekeeping mechanism in the French-speaking environment. France, Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, and Senegal co-chaired the conference. Mr. Harvey Ladsus, UN Under Secretary General (USG) for Peacekeeping, French and Canadian Foreign Ministers, among others, highly praised the Bangladeshi Peacekeepers deployed in the Francophone Missions. UN USG Ladsus particularly applauded Bangladesh’s efforts to learn French language to better perform their duties in the Francophone areas.
The Foreign Minister Ali reiterated Bangladesh’s wish to remain one of the first responders to the UN’s call for troop and police. He highlighted the efforts of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in ensuring sustained peace in the conflict affected areas. He underscored the need for intelligence, modern technologies, and advanced equipments to serve the peacekeepers’ vital interest on the ground, particularly to enhance their capacity for maintaining peace, protecting civilians and ensuring their own safety and security. He also highlighted Bangladesh’s commitment to increase women’s participation in the peacekeeping Missions in the coming days.
Foreign Minister Ali held a bilateral meeting with his French Counterpart on the same day. They expressed satisfaction over the existing level of cooperation between the two countries and assured each other of further engagement on the issues of mutual interests. Also Baroness Joice Anelay, British Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office met over a meeting with Foreign Minister Ali. Later, Bangladesh, French, Canadian and Senegalese Foreign Minsters briefed the press and media on the conference.
As many as 60 countries and international organizations including 20 Ministerial delegations, took part in the Conference. The Ministerial Conference was preceded by four thematic roundtables held on 26 October 2016, where Bangladesh Co-chaired the roundtable-1 on Force Generation.
Lieutenant General Sabbir Ahmed, Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army and Ms. Sadia Faizunnesa, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs also participated in the Conference.
Attachments: Photos of the Conference
Photo 1: Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP, Foreign Minister attending at the Ministerial Conference on ‘Peacekeeping in Francophone Environment’ in Paris.
Photo 2: Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP, Foreign Minister attending at the Press Conference of the Ministerial Conference on ‘Peacekeeping in Francophone Environment’ in Paris
Photo 3: French Foreign Minister Mr. Jean-Marc Ayrault and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP at a bilateral meeting in Paris on 27 October 2016.
Photo 4: French Foreign Minister Mr. Jean-Marc Ayrault talks to Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP at the Peacekeeping conference in Paris on 27 October 2016
Photo 5: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP French Senator Mr. Jérôme Durain shaking hands at a diner at Bangladesh House in Paris on 27 October 2016.
Photo 6: Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP, Foreign Minister along with other Ministers at the Ministerial Conference on ‘Peacekeeping in Francophone Environment’ in Paris on 27 October 2016.