Moriarty reaffirms US long-term commitment to country's uplift
Friday, 11 July 2008
US Ambassador James Moriarty visited Cox's Bazar and Teknaf to review the US-funded projects in the region and reaffirmed the US government's long-term commitment towards the development of Bangladesh, reports UNB.
During the tour from July 8-10 the Ambassador also visited several Rohingya refugee camps to learn more about the issue.
Mrs Moriarty and Carey Gordon, acting mission director for the USAID accompanied the ambassador.
During his stay in Cox's Bazar, Moriarty visited US government-funded environment, health, energy and small and medium-business projects.
He visited the US supported rural electrification project. The initiative creates employment for rural women while bringing electricity to the doorsteps of rural people through solar home systems that generate electricity from solar power.
The project focuses on increasing household access to energy through solar power by training women users, entrepreneurs and technicians to assemble and maintain solar home systems.
The ambassador met solar home system users, women entrepreneurs who were trained to install and maintain the solar home systems, and women technicians. He was impressed by their skill and professionalism and commended them for their involvement in income generating activities, and their exemplary effort to improve their lives and contribute to the national economy.
The Ambassador also visited the Memorial Christian Hospital to learn more about the US Government-supported fistula (a childbirth injury) treatment and rehabilitation service.
The US Government supports services to repair fistula, while simultaneously working with communities to spread information and awareness about fistula prevention and treatment. This funding has provided care to more than three hundred women since the inception of this project in 2005. Mrs Moriarty met patients and offered encouragement and support.
The Ambassador visited a shrimp hatchery to observe the hatchery operations as well as the production of shrimp larvae. He also visited the shrimp virus testing laboratory. Larvae tested in this laboratory are being distributed to shrimp farmers who lost their livelihood due to cyclone Sidr. The US Government will also work with the shrimp farmers to identify and add value to the production and export of shrimp in the coming years.
On July 9 Moriarty visited a madrasah in Teknaf and inaugurated a US Government-supported biogas plant. The biogas plant, the first of its kind in the Chittagong division, is expected to reduce the need for consumption of firewood from local forests. The use of biogas at this madrasah will replace 7.5 tonnes of fuel wood and save 288 mature trees per year, preventing 50 tonnes of green house gas from entering into the atmosphere.
The Ambassador congratulated the madrasah authority for being environmentally responsible and expected that this initiative will help save the forest and will be replicated in the community. During his interactions with students and teachers at the madrasah, Moriarty underscored the role and importance of their involvement in the national development efforts.
Moriarty visited the Mochoni Nature Park and inaugurated the nature interpretation centre. He highlighted that nature-based tourism initiatives have great potential and reiterated the US Government's commitment towards sustained economic growth for Bangladesh.
He commended the local government as well as the community for practicing collaborative management of natural resources that involves the entire community as well as the government.
The Ambassador complemented them on empowering the local community with the devolution of trust and power to local communities which has brought outstanding results in terms of environmental management in that area. He also thanked the Government of Bangladesh for their active support for sound environmental governance and increased transparency in the management of resources.
During the tour from July 8-10 the Ambassador also visited several Rohingya refugee camps to learn more about the issue.
Mrs Moriarty and Carey Gordon, acting mission director for the USAID accompanied the ambassador.
During his stay in Cox's Bazar, Moriarty visited US government-funded environment, health, energy and small and medium-business projects.
He visited the US supported rural electrification project. The initiative creates employment for rural women while bringing electricity to the doorsteps of rural people through solar home systems that generate electricity from solar power.
The project focuses on increasing household access to energy through solar power by training women users, entrepreneurs and technicians to assemble and maintain solar home systems.
The ambassador met solar home system users, women entrepreneurs who were trained to install and maintain the solar home systems, and women technicians. He was impressed by their skill and professionalism and commended them for their involvement in income generating activities, and their exemplary effort to improve their lives and contribute to the national economy.
The Ambassador also visited the Memorial Christian Hospital to learn more about the US Government-supported fistula (a childbirth injury) treatment and rehabilitation service.
The US Government supports services to repair fistula, while simultaneously working with communities to spread information and awareness about fistula prevention and treatment. This funding has provided care to more than three hundred women since the inception of this project in 2005. Mrs Moriarty met patients and offered encouragement and support.
The Ambassador visited a shrimp hatchery to observe the hatchery operations as well as the production of shrimp larvae. He also visited the shrimp virus testing laboratory. Larvae tested in this laboratory are being distributed to shrimp farmers who lost their livelihood due to cyclone Sidr. The US Government will also work with the shrimp farmers to identify and add value to the production and export of shrimp in the coming years.
On July 9 Moriarty visited a madrasah in Teknaf and inaugurated a US Government-supported biogas plant. The biogas plant, the first of its kind in the Chittagong division, is expected to reduce the need for consumption of firewood from local forests. The use of biogas at this madrasah will replace 7.5 tonnes of fuel wood and save 288 mature trees per year, preventing 50 tonnes of green house gas from entering into the atmosphere.
The Ambassador congratulated the madrasah authority for being environmentally responsible and expected that this initiative will help save the forest and will be replicated in the community. During his interactions with students and teachers at the madrasah, Moriarty underscored the role and importance of their involvement in the national development efforts.
Moriarty visited the Mochoni Nature Park and inaugurated the nature interpretation centre. He highlighted that nature-based tourism initiatives have great potential and reiterated the US Government's commitment towards sustained economic growth for Bangladesh.
He commended the local government as well as the community for practicing collaborative management of natural resources that involves the entire community as well as the government.
The Ambassador complemented them on empowering the local community with the devolution of trust and power to local communities which has brought outstanding results in terms of environmental management in that area. He also thanked the Government of Bangladesh for their active support for sound environmental governance and increased transparency in the management of resources.