PM arrives in Istanbul for COP-31 summit, to meet Erdogan today

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, at 12:40pm local time on Tuesday (10 November) on a three-day official visit to attend the COP-31 summit.

At the summit he will deliver a speech at a plenary session and hold bilateral meetings with leaders of various countries on the sidelines.

Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu said a Turkish Airlines flight carrying the prime minister, his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman and members of his entourage arrived in Istanbul at 12:40pm local time. After a stopover in Istanbul, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will leave for Antalya in the afternoon local time.

Earlier today, the prime minister and his entourage left Dhaka for Turkey at 7:30am from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

According to the visit schedule and foreign ministry sources, the prime minister will hold his first bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at 6:30pm today at the Maxx Royal Hotel in Antalya.

The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to increase bilateral trade and investment and to expand cooperation in important sectors.

The COP-31 summit will be held on 11 and 12 November. The prime minister will present Bangladesh's position at a plenary session of the summit on 12 November, covering climate justice, the historic responsibility of developed countries, climate finance, adaptation, addressing loss and damage, and climate-resilient sustainable development.

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury told journalists in Dhaka on Monday that bilateral meetings are being arranged for the prime minister with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom. A meeting with the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is also under consideration.

He said bilateral relations, trade and investment, and climate cooperation would be given importance in these meetings, and expressed hope that the discussions would create new opportunities to advance Bangladesh's economic and geopolitical interests.

The foreign secretary said that although Bangladesh contributes only 0.05 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Ensuring climate justice, adaptation finance, addressing loss and damage caused by climate change, and the implementation of developed countries' climate finance pledges are therefore among Bangladesh's key priorities.

On compensation for loss and damage caused by climate change, he said Bangladesh raises its account of losses at various international forums to build awareness and increase cooperation. Although such accounts of losses vary, raising them internationally helps advance Bangladesh's interests.

Bangladesh will also present its achievements in building climate resilience at the summit, and will share its experience of tackling the impacts of climate change in South Asia and the wider Asian region.

A jute pavilion has been set up by Bangladesh in the Green Zone of the summit, highlighting the multipurpose uses of jute, its environment-friendly qualities, and the potential of jute products as an alternative to plastic. A joint declaration between Bangladesh and Turkey on promoting jute and jute products is also under consideration.

The foreign ministry will organise two side events in the Blue Zone of the summit on 12 and 13 November. One will focus on the special risks faced by women in Bangladesh due to climate change. The other will highlight the existing challenges in promoting biodegradable and waste-free jute products as an alternative to artificial polymers.

Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury said Bangladesh's position was determined on the basis of discussions with various ministries and stakeholders and inter-ministerial consultations. He expressed hope that Bangladesh's participation in the summit under the prime minister's leadership would further strengthen the country's position in international climate diplomacy.

A 21-member Bangladesh delegation is taking part in the summit along with the prime minister. The delegation includes Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awwal Mintu, State Ministers for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir and Shama Obaid Islam, the prime minister's Special Assistant on forest, environment and climate change Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, SDG Chief Coordinator at the Prime Minister's Office Professor Dr. S M Abdul Awwal, the prime minister's Press Secretary A A M Saleh Shibli and Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.

COP, or the Conference of the Parties, is the United Nations' annual climate summit, where countries discuss collective action to tackle climate change. This year Turkey is presiding over the summit, while Australia is chairing the formal negotiations. The prime minister is scheduled to return home on Friday.