Stephen Rodriques, the newly appointed Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh, presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

Welcoming Rodriques, the foreign minister congratulated him on his appointment and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to working closely with UNDP to advance shared development priorities.

He praised UNDP’s longstanding contribution to Bangladesh’s development, noting its significant role in supporting the country’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Referring to Bangladesh’s preparations for graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category, the minister expressed hope that UNDP and the wider UN system would continue supporting the country in addressing the challenges associated with the transition period leading up to graduation.

Rodriques thanked the foreign minister for the warm welcome and reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the government of Bangladesh.

He also commended Bangladesh’s socio-economic progress and its leadership in promoting sustainable development.

The new UNDP resident representative congratulated the foreign minister on his election as president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, describing it as a reflection of Bangladesh’s growing international standing and constructive role in the global community.