Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria arrives in Dhaka today on a four-day visit to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
During her visit, the Crown Princess will be accompanied by Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and UNDP Assistant Secretary General Ulrika Modéer.
It is the first official visit since the Crown Princess' appointment as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October last year.
The visit will mark the Crown Princess' role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), says a spokesperson for the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka.
The purpose is to learn about the development journey of Bangladesh and study the progress and challenges in the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on climate, gender equality, the green and digital transition and the role of the business sector.
The Crown Princess-led delegation will hold talks with representatives from the government of Bangladesh, entrepreneurs, organisations, development partners and youths.
They will participate in events focused on the business sector's role in promoting the green and digital transition.
A series of field visits will centre around themes such as climate adaptation, digitalisation and local solutions.
The delegation will also visit southern Bangladesh, including the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar.
"I look forward to visiting Bangladesh together with the Crown Princess in her role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP and with Ulrika Modéer, Assistant Secretary General at UNDP. The Swedish government actively contributes to the implementation of Agenda 2030," says Mr Forssell who makes his first visit to Bangladesh.
"Sweden and Bangladesh's partnership goes back more than 50 years and consists of long-term development cooperation and extensive trade."
Bangladesh has made an impressive development journey in recent years and is expected to transition from a low-income country to a middle-income country in 2026.
The business sector, including Swedish companies, plays an important role in promoting the green and digital transition which contributes significantly to job creation and sustainable growth, Mr Forssell continues.
The Crown Princess will visit Bangladesh again nearly two decades after her first visit in the country in 2005.
She then spent three days primarily following up on Swedish development cooperation in the northwestern parts of Bangladesh.
The Crown Princess was appointed UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October 2023. In this role, the Crown Princess plays a key role in increasing awareness and engagement for the SDGs and a sustainable future where no one is left behind.
Sweden was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh. In 2022, the two countries celebrated 50 years of their bilateral relations. Sweden's development cooperation with Bangladesh goes back to independence in 1971.
The ties are vibrant and multifaceted covering development cooperation, trade and investments and people-to-people engagement.
The Swedish government is reforming its development assistance to meet the challenges, where needs are extensive and the funding gap is growing.
The new reform agenda focuses on a long-term perspective, transparency and effectiveness. Trade, private investments, loans and domestic resource mobilisation are components necessary for countries to achieve the SDGs.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com