Shawdesh desk:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home from Italy early hours of today after attending the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment.

A regular flight of Qatar Airways, carrying the premier and her entourage members, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 01:50 am after making over one hour stopover at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

Earlier, the flight departed from Rome Fiumicino Airport at 09:45am local time (01:45pm BST).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to Rome, Italy on June 23 on a three-day official visit to join the UNFSS+2 conference at the invitation of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres.

The UNFSS+2 conference was held at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters on July 24-26 with the theme “Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity: Diverse Pathways in a Shared Journey”.

The premier addressed the official opening of the conference at the FAO Headquarters as the special guest speaker on July 24.

Around 2000 participants from over 160 countries, including over 20 heads of state and government, attended the UNFSS+2.

Sheikh Hasina also participated in the plenary session titled “Food Systems and Climate Action”.

On the evening of the same day, she also joined the inaugural ceremony of Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in FAO headquarters.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also had a bilateral meeting with her Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the newly opened Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in the FAO headquarters on the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit.

Three Italian ministers -Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio – also paid a courtesy call on her at the FAO headquarters.

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu, President of International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) Alvaro Lario and World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy Hensley McCain paid courtesy call on the prime minister.

On July 25, the premier attended the “Regional Envoys Conference” organised with Bangladesh ambassadors stationed in 15 European countries.

Sheikh Hasina also had a bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.

During the meeting, two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs)- “Cooperation in the Field of Energy” and “Cultural Exchange Programme” – were exchanged in presence of the two prime ministers.

The premier also joined a community reception accorded to her hosted by the expatriate Bangladeshis in Italy.