Sweden happy about use of its climate change adaptation support in Bangladesh

Per Olsson Fridh, Sweden's minister for International Development Cooperatives, has expressed his satisfaction with the effective use of his country's climate change adaptation support in Bangladesh.

The minister visited Swedish-funded projects, facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), in the climate change vulnerable coastal belt of Khulna on Thursday, read a press release.

"We are delighted to see that women in such a remote place are benefitting from a safe drinking water plant set up with Swedish support," he said after visiting a water purification plant set up by the Local Government Initiative under Climate Change (LoGIC) project at Sutarkhali in Khulna's Dacope. 

"This is a good example of climate change adaptation support being used effectively," he added. 

During the day-long visit, the minister observed the initiatives of UNDP's Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation (GCA) for Women and Strengthening Women's Ability for Productive New Opportunities (SWAPNO) projects.     

Climate resilient livelihoods are reducing climate migration, which will have long-term positive impacts on the country, he said after talking to the beneficiaries of the GCA project in Tildanga of Khulna's Dacope. 

"Empowering one woman is empowering a family and a society. I am happy that Sweden is supporting SWAPNO to empower rural women in Bangladesh," the minister said after visiting the project at Shatkhira's Tiger Point.

He also visited UNDP's conservation activities around the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest.

The minister was accompanied by Alexandra Berg von Linde, Sweden's ambassador to Bangladesh, along with Sudipto Mukerjee, resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh, and Saila Farzana, joint secretary of the Local Government Division.

Bangladesh is the country seventh most vulnerable to  climate change.