FM urges NAM leaders to address economic issues

Addressing the NAM ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, he reminded the Movement leaders that NAM had limited success in fostering economic growth and development in the member countries and that the per capita income of the citizens of NAM countries is still one-sixth of the world average.

Ministers and senior officials from 114 NAM member countries attended the meeting.

The foreign minister said, "The challenges of globalisation must be translated into advantages and opportunities for the peoples of all member countries."

Referring to the slow progress on mode IV liberalisation in the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting of WTO, Morshed Khan suggested that NAM countries should encourage more people-to-people contact and liberalise free movement of labour amongst themselves.

On the question of terrorism, the foreign minister emphasised the need for efforts to conclude a comprehensive convention on terrorism, including adoption of a counter-terrorism strategy that would have full respect for human rights.

"We in Bangladesh, along with many others at international level, unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he added.

The foreign minister also met his counterparts from other NAM countries, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli, according to a message received in the city.