.jpg )
She identified universal and affordable access to vaccines, financing SDGs gap, ending the growing trends of poverty and inequality, supporting the migrant workers, reversing the falling trend of export earnings, ensuring the benefits of digitisation to all, and addressing climate and biodiversity emergencies as the top priorities of Bangladesh.
She was addressing the General Debate of the Second Committee at the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
In the face of the extraordinary situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee decided to centre its debate around the theme of “Building back better after COVID-19: ensuring a more equitable global economy, inclusive societies and sustainable recovery” this year.
Echoing the visionary call of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to treat COVID-19 vaccine as a ‘global public good’ at the General Debate of the 75th UNGA, Ambassador Fatima said, “for a Covid-19 free world, we must ensure universal and affordable access to vaccines”.
She reiterated Bangladesh’s readiness to contribute to mass scale vaccine production provided that technical know-hows and patents are shared.
Underscoring the importance of supporting the developing countries in their productive capacity building, diversification of economies and job creation, she reflected that continued financial support is critical for the developing countries to carry out their sustainable recovery efforts out of the crisis. She called upon the G-7, G-20, OECD, MDBs, and IFIs to scale up fiscal stimulus, concessional finance, and debt relief measures.