PM becomes moral voice in COP26, says Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Friday Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has become the moral voice of climate vulnerable countries while she took a leadership role at UN climate conference, COP26 in Glasglow, reports BSS.

"Bangladesh has taken a leadership role in climate forum … our Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) became a moral voice (there)," he told journalists at a virtual briefing from London on Friday.

The foreign minister said Sheikh Hasina has become a dealmaker to influence the outcomes at the COP26 by leading the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), a group of 48 countries who would be the worst sufferers of climate change, BBC also termed Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina as one of the five dealmakers and said the success or failure of the summit depends on these five negotiators, who have a major influence on the outcome.

"We have received lots of assurances (on getting climate financing) … I am very much hopeful about the outcomes of COP26," Dr Momen said.

He said, 37 countries have already promised to develop their national plan on climate change as per Bangladesh's Mujib climate prosperity plan. "It's an achievement of Bangladesh," he said.

About the pledged 100 billion dollar annual climate fund, Dr Momen said the developed countries those are mainly responsible for the global warming have already made a line up for the fund.

This fund could be even trillion-dollar with the support of private sector, he said.

The foreign minister said Dhaka-Glasgow declaration was adopted after a 48-nation CVF leaders' dialogue where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided as the chair on COP26 sidelines.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and CVF Thematic Ambassador Saima Wazed Hossain also addressed the dialogue titled "Climate Vulnerable Forum Leaders' Dialogue: Forging a CVF-COP26 Climate Emergency Pact" at COP26 venue in the Scottish city.

Dr Momen said as the Dhaka-Glasgow deceleration focused on ensuring climate financing 50:50 ratio between adaptation and mitigation, getting share on carbon trading, loss and damage, and adaptation a "Climate Emergency Pact" to contain temperature rise within 1.5 degree Celsius.

About the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her British counterpart Boris Johnson, Dr Momen said the British premier highly lauded Bangladeshi's tremendous socio-economic development.

"The British prime minister said 'others should follow Bangladesh'," Dr Momen said quoting Boris.

During the meeting, the two premiers also discussed how the two nations will celebrate the 50-yeaar of diplomatic ties next year, Momen said.

The foreign minister said at the meeting between Bangladesh premier and British Prince of Wales Prince Charles, the UK has given lucrative proposal to Bangladesh to implement under private partnership basis.