UN Secretary-General's letter reaffirms support for Dr. Yunus

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that the UN would continue to mobilize the international community to support Bangladesh as a host to the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.

In a letter to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on February 25, Guterres said he shared the Bangladesh chief adviser's concerns regarding the impact of the Rohingya crisis on Bangladesh and the region, as well as the worsening humanitarian situation in Rakhine.

"I will continue to exercise my good offices, including through my Special Envoy on the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, to work closely with regional actors, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other stakeholders, towards a political solution to the crisis in Myanmar, including creating conditions conducive to the safe and voluntary return of the Rohingya to Rakhine," the letter read.

The UN chief said he has requested his senior managers to provide guidance to the United Nations Country Teams in Bangladesh and Myanmar on how "we can maximise humanitarian aid and livelihood support to communities in Rakhine".

He assured that the United Nations would prioritise engagement on this issue, including through the Emergency Relief Coordinator and the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, in Myanmar, to enable safe, rapid, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need in Rakhine and throughout Myanmar.

Guterres hoped that the High-level Conference on the situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar would be an opportunity to galvanise renewed global attention and contribute to developing a wider range of solutions for Rohingya and other minorities.

"We await the agreed outcomes and plans for the Conference, following Member State consultations, to understand how the United Nations system can best support the process," he said.

The UN secretary general reiterated the strong solidarity of the United Nations with Bangladesh and its support for the transition process under the leadership of Prof Yunus.

UN Secretary-General to visit Bangladesh

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres will undertake an official visit to Bangladesh from 13-16 March, his office confirmed.

The visit follows an invitation from Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, according to a press release, issued by the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in UN, received here this morning.