The United Nations has pledged its support to Bangladesh in implementing sustainable reforms as the country prepares to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) list. This commitment was made by Gwyn Lewis, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, during the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting held on May 15.
The biannual meeting, co-chaired by Lewis and Shahriar Kader Siddiky, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), brought together senior government officials and UN representatives to review progress and plan ahead.
Lewis emphasised the UN's readiness to assist Bangladesh in advancing climate resilience, economic transformation, gender equality, and inclusive development to ensure no one is left behind during the transition.
Reflecting on the challenges of the past year, she praised the determination and dignity of the Bangladeshi people and expressed pride in the strong partnership between Bangladesh and the UN, built on shared values and goals.
At the meeting, the UN released the 2024 Bangladesh Country Results Report under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and approved strategic priorities for the coming year.
In 2024, the UN allocated $215 million to support key initiatives, including developing a smooth LDC graduation strategy, generating over 4,000 jobs through private sector partnerships, improving business performance for 116 companies, and providing digital skills training to more than 11,000 youth.
This assistance has helped over 40 million people access social protection services, with 580,000 benefiting from child protection programs. Moreover, 5.6 million adolescent girls received the HPV vaccine, covering 93% of girls aged 10–14 nationwide.
The UN also coordinated $44 million in humanitarian aid in response to climate disasters such as floods and cyclones, reaching 1.72 million affected individuals, and raising climate risk awareness among 2 million people.
Efforts to strengthen local governance saw 66% of rural village courts become operational, benefiting around 61 million people. The UN further supported gender equality by advocating for laws to prevent sexual harassment and domestic violence.
The JSC approved a one-year extension of the UNSDCF (2022–2026) to align with the government's extension of the Eighth Five-Year Plan, ensuring continuity in national development efforts.
A session following the meeting focused on youth engagement and the UN’s initiatives for future generations. Participants highlighted the importance of intergenerational equity and amplifying young people’s voices, in line with the “Summit of the Future” held last year.
ERD Secretary Shahriar Kader expressed gratitude for the UN’s continued partnership and noted that the extended UNSDCF would provide a strong platform for deeper cooperation amid evolving circumstances.
He welcomed progress on climate finance platforms like the Bangladesh Climate Development Partnership and called for sustained support from the UN and development partners.
Secretary Siddiky also underscored the need to prioritise youth employment, social entrepreneurship, and impact investment to achieve the Prime Minister's "Three Zero Policy." He stressed the importance of UN assistance in water resource management, local governance, and upcoming reforms and elections.
Key next steps agreed upon include launching the final year review of the UNSDCF by the end of 2025 and renewing commitments to accelerate Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) implementation and LDC graduation.
The UNSDCF focuses on five strategic priorities to advance the SDGs in Bangladesh: inclusive and sustainable economic growth; equitable human development; resilient and sustainable environment; participatory governance; and gender equality with the elimination of gender-based violence.
The next Joint Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for later this year, according to the UN office in Dhaka.
