New UNHCR Representative to Bangladesh presents Letter of Credence to the Foreign Minister
Dhaka, 07 Mar 2010
Mr. Mr. Steven Craig Sanders, the newly appointed Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to Bangladesh presented his Letter of Credence today to Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni at her office.
The Foreign Minister welcomed the new UNHCR Representative to Bangladesh and assured him of all cooperation of the Government of Bangladesh in the discharge of his mandated tasks in Bangladesh. Mr. Sanders expressed pleasure at the warm welcome he received in Bangladesh since his arrival a few days back, and expressed the hope that UNHCR would continue to receive the high level of cooperation of Bangladesh government.
The Foreign Minister discussed the issue of early repatriation of the Myanmar refugees to their homeland, Myanmar. She mentioned that Myanmar has agreed to take back the refugees from the list cleared by them. She put emphasis on resuming the repatriation process at the soonest possible. The Foreign Minister also asked the UNHCR Representative to work more intensely inside Myanmar to create conditions conducive to return of the Myanmar refugees, through, for example, accelerating socio-economic development process of the Rakhine State of Myanmar as well as through building institutions such as schools and hospitals. She reiterated Bangladesh position on the issue of Myanmar refugees that full repatriation of the refugees, now living in two camps in Nayapara and Kutupalong, remained the only viable solution to this protracted problem. She ruled out any other option in this regard.
The UNHCR Representative agreed with the Foreign Minister’s assessment of the situation, and added that it was also the motive of the UNHCR to ensure repatriation of all Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh to Myanmar as soon as possible. He referred to the enhanced UNHCR activities inside Myanmar in ensuring socio-economic development of Rakhine State with a view to encourage Myanmar refugees return to their own country.
The Foreign Minister mentioned that some recent reports in a section of international media regarding undocumented Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh have proved to be baseless and malicious. Such unhelpful activities must be stopped in the interest of all, she added.
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New UNHCR Representative to Bangladesh presents Letter of Credence to the Foreign Minister