New UNFPA representative meets foreign minister

The newly appointed United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Bangladesh, Asa Britta Torkelsson, met Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali today.

During the meeting, she formally presented her credentials to the foreign minister at his office in Dhaka.

A national of Sweden, Asa Torkelsson brings with her an extensive and distinguished career in various UN offices all over the world, specialising in the field of women’s empowerment, development economics and international development.

Accepting the credential letter, Minister Mahmood congratulated Torkelsson for her new appointment and welcomed her to the country.

Referring to the long-standing partnership between Bangladesh and United Nations Population Fund, the minister expressed his appreciation for UNFPA’s support and contribution in Bangladesh to improve maternal health, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality, prevention of gender-based violence and child marriage, and population and development.

The foreign minister also highlighted the development progress that is taking place to shift the country’s status from one of the least developed countries to a middle-income country and Bangladesh’s commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals under the visionary leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

UNFPA’s Representative also congratulated Bangladesh on its success in achieving Millennium Development Goals, particularly in the areas of poverty alleviation, primary school enrolment, and gender parity in primary and secondary level education.

Calling Bangladesh “a development role model” for its success and achievements in health, family planning, female education, women’s empowerment and socio-economic development, the newly appointed Representative expressed her deep satisfaction over UNFPA’s partnership with the Government of Bangladesh.