FM Momen stresses climate migrant support for global inclusivity commitment

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has called on the global communities for targeted policy interventions to assist climate migrants, aligning with the global commitment to "leave no one behind".

He made the call during his address at the high-level breakfast of the summit themed "Harnessing Climate Mobility for Adaptation and Resilience," held on 20 September, on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York.

Momen urged for the mainstreaming of the issue of climate mobility into both climate change and migration discourses.

Additionally, he stressed the necessity of establishing international financing mechanisms to aid climate migrants, including the proposed loss and damage fund, reads a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate change took centre stage in Momen's address.

He said, "The challenges posed by climate-induced displacement, affecting approximately 650,000 people annually."

"The government's proactive response to this crisis, exemplified by the world's largest climate migrants' rehabilitation project in Cox's Bazar, underscored Bangladesh's commitment to addressing this pressing issue", Momen further added.

Heads of state/government, ministers, and high-ranking officials from various UN agencies participated in the discussion.

They emphasised the severity of the climate crisis, noting that by 2050, more than 200 million people could be compelled to leave their homes due to the impacts of climate change.

Leaders further underscored that women and girls, young people, individuals with disabilities, and indigenous communities are disproportionately affected by these effects.

According to the press release, they emphasised the timely mobilisation of resources for climate finance and the implementation of early warning systems and data management as crucial components of any solution.

The event was moderated by Amy Pope, director general-elect of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and was co-hosted by Bangladesh, Tuvalu, Niger, Botswana, Tonga, Comoros, Guatemala, as well as the IOM, President of the UN General Assembly, and the UN Global Centre of Climate Mobility.