C T Online Desk: July 27, 2022- Deputy Director General (DDG) for Operations of
International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Ugochi Daniels praised the
Bangladesh government for its exemplary role in migration management and tackling
climate change.
Daniels also called for continued and flexible support to Rohingyas and host
communities as she concluded a five-day visit to Bangladesh (22-26 July).
“Bangladesh should be recognised for the important role they play in hosting more
than 900,000 Rohingyas and their leadership as a ‘champion country’ of the Global
Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration,” said Daniels.
During her stay in Bangladesh, she visited the world’s largest refugee camp in
Cox’s Bazar, which hosts over 900,000 Rohingyas who have sought refuge in
Bangladesh fleeing from violence in Myanmar nearly five years ago.
“As the government of Bangladesh continues providing humanitarian assistance, the
ongoing support from the international community is crucial until the situation in
Myanmar allows for Rohingyas to voluntarily return in a safe and dignified manner,”
said Daniels.
In Cox’s Bazar, IOM has been providing life-saving assistance, including shelter,
health services, water and other emergency items to Rohingyas since 2017.
During her visit, DDG Daniels viewed environmentally friendly initiatives such as a
sustainable solid waste management facility, the world’s largest humanitarian
solar-powered water supply system and a cleaner energy provision system, which are
designed and implemented by IOM.
IOM has been supporting the government of Bangladesh (GoB) since 1992 and has had
an uninterrupted presence in the country since 1998, an IOM press release said.
Earlier this year, IOM issued an appeal for US$ 139 million to support 1.4 million
Rohingyas and host community members in the country.
IOM in Bangladesh provides technical assistance to the government in various areas
of migration management to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration. This
includes support for improved migration governance, assistance to vulnerable
migrants, immigration and border management, migration health, migration data and
displacement tracking and humanitarian assistance, said the press release.
In Dhaka, DDG Daniels met Secretary Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, Ministry of
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment; Dr Md Enamur Rahman, State Minister,
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; and Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary
(Senior Secretary), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among other diplomats, UN
officials and civil society representatives.
DDG Daniels attended a high-level policy dialogue on Human Mobility in the Context
of Climate Change: Towards a Common Narrative and Action Pathway jointly organised
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IOM, where she met Bangladesh’s Foreign
Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, and the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, added the press release.
During her discussions with government officials and international humanitarian and
development actors, she advocated for greater efforts to jointly address climate
change and human mobility at national, regional and global levels.
