Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan has expressed interest in sending a team of specialists to Bangladesh to share expertise and cooperate in addressing health problems of women in coastal and marginalised communities exacerbated by climate change.
The matter was discussed during a meeting between Jubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarek Rahman, and Emine Erdogan, wife of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and chairperson of the Zero Waste Foundation. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam briefed reporters at a press conference held at a hotel in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday night local time.
Productive Talks
Shama Obaed Islam said the meeting between Jubaida Rahman and the Turkish First Lady on the first day of Bangladesh's delegation's participation in the UN COP31 climate conference was "extremely productive." During the talks, they discussed potential bilateral cooperation in tackling the impacts of climate change.Discussions focused on joint initiatives to address health risks arising from climate change, particularly its effects on women and children. Emine Erdogan proposed sending a team of experts and providing technical assistance from Turkey to improve healthcare services for women in Bangladesh's coastal regions.
A New Dimension in Bilateral Ties
The meeting is seen as adding a new dimension to Bangladesh-Turkey bilateral relations. Analysts view this initiative as a positive example of cooperation between developing nations in addressing the global impacts of climate change.Bangladesh's delegation at COP31 is expected to highlight the health crisis caused by climate change, especially its impact on women and children. Turkey's cooperation offer could play a significant role in ensuring healthcare for climate-displaced and marginalised communities in Bangladesh.
