PM leaves for Türkiye yesterday to attend COP31

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will leave Dhaka on Tuesday (November 10) for an official visit to Türkiye to attend the World Leaders’ Summit of COP31 in Antalya on November 11-12.

He is scheduled to address a plenary session on November 12 and hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury disclosed the visit schedule while briefing reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Additional Foreign Secretary (Public Diplomacy and Other Priority Matters) A.K.M. Shahidul Karim and senior ministry officials were also present.

Bangladesh is seeking to arrange meetings between the Prime Minister and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, the Australian Prime Minister, the President of Uzbekistan and the British Foreign Secretary.

A meeting with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is also being explored, while arrangements for other engagements are still being finalised, the Foreign Secretary said.

The discussions are expected to cover bilateral relations, trade and investment, climate cooperation and other issues of mutual interest. Chowdhury expressed hope that the engagements would create fresh opportunities to advance Bangladesh’s economic and geopolitical interests.

The Prime Minister will highlight Bangladesh’s position on climate justice, the historical responsibility of developed countries, climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate-resilient sustainable development.

His spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, State Ministers for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and Shama Obaed, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and relevant government officials will accompany him.

Bangladesh will press for greater climate finance and support for adaptation, while seeking accountability from developed countries for their historical contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.

The Foreign Secretary said Bangladesh contributed only 0.05 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions but remained among the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Securing climate justice, adaptation finance and support for addressing loss and damage are therefore among the country’s foremost priorities.

He said Bangladesh would present estimates of climate-related losses at international forums to raise awareness and encourage cooperation. However, he distinguished such efforts from the broader assistance and cooperation the country receives through international engagement.

Asked how much compensation Bangladesh had secured through the COP process, Chowdhury referred the matter to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for relevant information.
Bangladesh will also highlight its achievements in climate resilience and share its experience of addressing climate impacts across South Asia and the wider Asian region.

As part of the initiative, the country plans to establish a jute pavilion in the conference’s Green Zone to showcase the diverse uses and environment-friendly qualities of jute, including its potential as an alternative to plastic.

A joint declaration between Bangladesh and Türkiye on the use and promotion of jute and jute products is also envisaged during the conference, the Foreign Secretary said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will organise two side events in the Blue Zone on November 12 and 13. One will focus on gender-based vulnerability in Bangladesh caused by climate change, while the other will discuss challenges and opportunities in promoting environment-friendly, biodegradable and zero-waste jute products.

The events will highlight the particular risks faced by women because of climate change and the potential of jute-based products to replace synthetic polymer-based materials.

Chowdhury said Türkiye was presiding over this year’s conference, while Australia was co-chairing the formal climate negotiation process.

The Foreign Ministry had coordinated with the Environment Ministry and other relevant ministries and agencies to finalise Bangladesh’s preparations, he added.

He expressed hope that the Prime Minister’s participation would strengthen Bangladesh’s role in international climate diplomacy and provide an opportunity to showcase the country’s efforts to build climate resilience.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam recently said Bangladesh would urge developed countries to provide climate finance in grants rather than loans and take responsibility for their contribution to global carbon emissions.

“Although Bangladesh’s contribution to global carbon emissions is almost negligible, we are ultimately among those suffering the consequences,” she said.

She also said the government would showcase initiatives taken by the Prime Minister over the past six months to address climate change and improve the environment.

These include canal excavation, tree plantation drives and greater emphasis on solar power and renewable energy.

An inter-ministerial coordination meeting chaired by Shama last month reviewed preparations for the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), including the Prime Minister’s participation, Bangladesh’s priorities, possible bilateral meetings and seminars at the country’s pavilions in the Blue and Green Zones.

Asked about Turkish company Çelebi’s interest in providing ground-handling services at the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as a partner of Biman Bangladesh Airlines under the Japanese consortium, the Foreign Secretary said detailed discussions on that specific proposal were unlikely during the visit.

COP, officially known as the Conference of the Parties, is the annual United Nations climate summit.