Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to achieving all targets relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Momen delivered the country statement at the plenary session of the 2nd UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon on Thursday.
Secretary, Maritime Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Tarik Ahsan, and other officials were the delegation members accompanying the foreign minister at the conference.
Momen attached importance to marine science for eradicating poverty, contributing to food security, conserving the world’s marine environment and resources, helping to predict and respond to natural and anthropogenic events, and promoting the sustainable development of the oceans and seas.
He said Bangladesh settled the maritime boundary issues with both the neighbours under the able leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and is poised to collaboratively utilize the resources.
To eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, Momen said, the government of Bangladesh declared an area totaling about 8.8% of its Exclusive Economic Zone as the Marine Protected Areas and implemented it in its National Plan of Action in 2019.
The government has amended Bangladesh Ship Recycle Act, 2018, and set a target of compliance with the Hong Kong Convention by 2023, he said.
Bangladesh also announced new actions aimed at ensuring safe ship recycling by 2023 and is the first among the developing countries to take initiative to ban the manufacture of single-use plastic shopping bags.
Stressing the importance of capacity development and even distribution of scientific knowledge, he viewed that disparities in scientific capacity in terms of financial, technological, and human resources between developed and developing countries must be addressed for sustainable management of the ocean.
Momen affirmed that Bangladesh is ready to cooperate in keeping with its capabilities to actively engage with the developed countries willing to transfer marine science and marine technology on fair and reasonable terms and conditions in accordance with the provisions of part XIV of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Earlier in the morning, the foreign minister arrived in Lisbon on a two-day visit to Portugal to lead the Bangladesh delegation to the 2nd UN Ocean Conference 2022.
He was received at the airport by Ambassador of Bangladesh to Portugal Tarik Ahsan and other officials of the Embassy, representatives of the host government as well as leaders of the Bangladesh community of Portugal.
Later in the day, the foreign minister visited the permanent Shaheed Minar situated at a public park in Lisbon, named “Campo dos Mártires da Pátria” and paid his tribute to the language martyrs by placing floral wreath.