DHAKA: Assistant Secretary General and Director at the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy of UNDP Michael O’Neill lauded climate change resilience and urban poverty reduction efforts of Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi people’s resilience in adapting to climate change and fighting with urban poverty while visiting UNDP supported projects in Barguna and Dhaka on Sunday.

O’Neill arrived in Dhaka on 25 October on a three-day visit to Bangladesh.

On the first day, O’Neill flew to Barguna to look at UNDP’s interventions in climate resilience and public service delivery, said a press release.

He also visited ‘Fish-Forrest- Fruit’ project – a hugely successful pilot of UNDP’s coastal afforestation program which has now been chosen by Bangladesh government for scaling up in nine more districts.

The project presents innovative approaches in turning climate change challenges into economic opportunities for poor women and men.

O’Neill was inspired to see how this innovative model promoted green economic development, climate change adaptation and mitigation while providing the local communities with diversified livelihood options.

He also witnessed a cyclone preparedness demonstration at Naltona union and visited its Information Center, a one stop service facility set up by UNDP and Bangladesh government providing transparent and accountable public services for the poor and the underserved.

Later, in the afternoon, O’Neill visited UNDP’s flagship Urban Partnership on Poverty Reduction (UPPR) program at the Korail Slum in Dhaka to understand UNDP’s intervention in sustained reduction of poverty.

The secretary visited Community Resource Centers run under the UPPR project, talked with beneficiaries and witnessed the changes in the lives of the urban poor through partnership between slum dwellers and local government.

O’Neill applauded the efforts made by these poor communities to improve their living condition and livelihoods and emphasized on the need for these communities to take active leadership in designing and implementing the project.

UNDP Country Director Pauline Tamesis, Deputy Secretary of Economic Relations Division Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of Barguna Mir Zaharul Islam and UNDP Bangladesh program staff were present among others during the visits in Barguna and Dhaka.

O’Neill is scheduled to leave on 28 October.

BDST: 2009 HRS, OCT 26, 2014