United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador and Crown Princess of Sweden Victoria are visiting Bangladesh from 18 to 21 March. She will be accompanied by the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and UNDP Assistant Secretary General Ulrika Modéer.
The visit takes place on the occasion of the crown princess’s role as Goodwill Ambassador for the UNDP and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – is the first visit she makes in this capacity.
The purpose is to learn about the development journey of Bangladesh and study the progress and challenges in the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on climate, gender equality, the green and digital transition and the role of the business sector, read a press release issued on Sunday.
The crown princess and the delegation will hold talks with representatives of the Government of Bangladesh, entrepreneurs, organisations, development partners and youth. They will participate in events focused on the business sector’s role in promoting the green and digital transition.
A series of field visits will centre on themes such as climate adaptation, digitalisation and local solutions. The delegation will also visit southern Bangladesh, including the Rohingya Refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
“I look forward to visiting Bangladesh together with the Crown Princess in her role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP and with Ulrika Modéer, Assistant Secretary General at UNDP as the Swedish government actively contributes to the implementation of Agenda 2030,” says Mr Forssell, who makes his first visit to the country.
Forssell said, “Sweden and Bangladesh’s partnership goes back more than 50 years and consists of long-term development cooperation and extensive trade. Bangladesh has made an impressive development journey in recent years and is expected to transition from a low-income country to a middle-income country in 2026.
“The business sector, including Swedish companies, plays an important role in promoting the green and digital transition, which contributes significantly to job creation and sustainable growth,” Forssell continues.
The crown princess returned to Bangladesh almost two decades after her first visit in the country in 2005. She then spent three days primarily following up on Swedish development cooperation in the north-western parts of Bangladesh.
The crown princess was appointed UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October 2023. In this role, the crown princess plays a key role in increasing awareness and engagement for the SDGs and a sustainable future where no one is left behind.
Sweden was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh. In 2022, the two countries celebrated 50 years of bilateral relations. Sweden’s development cooperation with Bangladesh goes back to independence in 1971.
The ties are vibrant and multifaceted covering development cooperation, trade and investments, and people-to-people engagement.
The Swedish Government is reforming its development assistance to meet the challenges of our time, where needs are extensive, and the funding gap is growing. The new reform agenda focuses on a long-term perspective, transparency and effectiveness.
Trade, private investments, loans and domestic resource mobilisation are components necessary for countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
