Sustainable use of jute, cotton, and sisal to be promoted

BM Report 

The Second Committee of the United Nations General Assembly has unanimously adopted Bangladesh’s flagship resolution titled ‘Natural Plant Fibers and Sustainable Development.’

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement on Wednesday informed that the groundbreaking development that took place on Tuesday, November 21st, is a testament to the international community’s recognition of Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development through the thoughtful and sustainable use of natural fibers like jute, cotton, and sisal.

While introducing the resolution on Tuesday, the representative of the Bangladesh Mission to the United Nations in New York expressed gratitude to all delegations for their active engagement, flexibility, and contribution to strengthening the resolution and achieving consensus.

The resolution urges member states to champion sustainable production, consumption, and use of natural plant fibers for sustainable development. It emphasizes political support, resource mobilization, capacity-building, and effective management to drive momentum for the sustainable production, consumption, and use of natural plant fibers at the global, regional, national, and local levels.

The resolution also recognizes natural fibers as a commendable alternative to synthetic and plastic-based products, highlighting that the production, consumption, and use of natural fibers can contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda.

In his statement, the representative stated that the government of Bangladesh takes the resolution very seriously. Underscoring the complementary role of natural plant fibers in mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity, he called for international cooperation to ensure the full implementation of the resolution.

Bangladesh first tabled this resolution in 2019 at the 74th United Nations General Assembly, and since then, this resolution has been adopted biannually by UN members.