Shawdesh Desk:

Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard on Wednesday said they want to engage on the UN Security Council and are looking forward to working with Bangladesh to pursue their collective actions in favor of peace, international law, sustainable development and human rights in the multilateral fora.

“But let me be clear here. This will not be an easy task: taken into account the numerous global challenges which we are facing, cooperation is essential,” she said, adding that Switzerland is a serious global player and a reliable partner of Bangladesh.

The Ambassador was speaking at the DCAB Talk at Jatiya Press Club hosted by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB).

DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin also spoke at the event.

The DCAB members and Ambassador Chuard observed one minute silence paying deepest homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members who were brutally assassinated in 1975 as the country observes the month of mourning.

Ambassador Chuard said what her country is engaged in and contributes here in Bangladesh is actually a reflection of what Switzerland stands for and promotes globally.

“This is part of our broader quest to make a better, more secure, prosperous and sustainable future for all,” she said.

In June this year, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly elected Switzerland as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2023-2024.

Dialogue, confidence building and consensus-seeking are in our DNA, said the Ambassador, focusing on their shared commitments that they can really make a difference.

The Swiss envoy said they will continue  committed partnership with Bangladesh towards the next stage of its socio-economic development.

To this end, she said, good governance, respect and promotion of human rights, empowerment and inclusion of women and minority groups, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation, will remain at the heart of our action and development cooperation.

The Ambassador said they will also work with drivers of change such as women and youth and focus on strengthening civil society voices and participation to provide checks and balances, which are key for sustainability and inclusivity.

“We are keen to reinforce our engagement with Bangladesh on SDGs since they remain our compass for the years to come. In that regard, one SDG that is particularly dear to our hearts is SDG 16 – peace, justice and strong institutions – since it is so closely interlinked with other SDGs,” she said.

Indeed, the envoy said, without peace, justice and inclusion, achieving goals such as ending poverty, ensuring education, promoting economic growth seem difficult or even impossible.

“Multilateralism matters, now more than ever, especially for countries like ours,” she said.