New heads of WFP, PPD present credentials to Foreign Minister

The newly appointed heads of the Partners in Population and Development (PPD) and World Food Programme (WFP) in Bangladesh presented their credentials to Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday.

Professor Dr Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan, Executive Director of the PPD Secretariat, and Coco H Ushiyama, Country Representative of WFP Bangladesh, presented their credentials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Welcoming the representatives, Dr Khalilur Rahman underscored Bangladesh’s interest in deepening cooperation with the organisations in areas of shared development and humanitarian priorities and wished them success in their assignments.

The newly appointed representatives congratulated the foreign minister on his election as president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

They appreciated Bangladesh’s longstanding partnerships with their respective organisations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation with the government.

During his meeting with Prof Dr Adelegan, the foreign minister appreciated PPD’s role in promoting reproductive health, family planning, and maternal and child health. He expressed confidence that the organisation would further contribute to sustainable development and population-related initiatives.

In his meeting with Ushiyama, Khalilur Rahman praised WFP’s longstanding partnership with Bangladesh in food security, nutrition, school feeding and humanitarian assistance.

He also appreciated WFP’s continued support for the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (Rohingya) and affected host communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, stressing the importance of sustained international support for the Rohingya response.

Earlier in the day, Laura Tomm Bonde, the newly appointed Chief of IOM in Bangladesh, also presented her credentials to the foreign minister.