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Bangladesh has called for stronger mediation efforts to resolve grievances and disputes before they escalate into violence, urging the United Nations to enhance its capacity for preventive action.
Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaid Islam made the call at the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the UN Group of Friends of Mediation, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Friday.
“We need to mediate before grievances turn into violence, when the scale of human and financial losses is at its lowest,” she said.
At the meeting, held at the Turkevi Center in New York, Shama Obaid highlighted Bangladesh’s long experience in UN peacekeeping and stressed the need for greater investment in mediation and peacebuilding capabilities.
She cited the Integrated Peacebuilding Competency Programme, run through the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT), as an important initiative to strengthen peacebuilding capacity.
The state minister called for stronger partnerships among states, regional partners, local mediators and the United Nations, while emphasizing respect for the principle of national ownership.
She also urged more effective measures to strengthen the UN’s preventive action capabilities, including predictable funding, rapidly deployable mediation support and timely action based on early-warning mechanisms.
Shama Obaid also emphasized the responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence in mediation, calling for safeguards to ensure neutrality, transparency and confidentiality.
The meeting was jointly hosted by Finland and Türkiye on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Ministers and senior representatives from various countries attended the meeting.
