UN to host high-level conference on Rohingya in New York

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - The UN will host a high-level conference on the Rohingya in New York on Tuesday amid cuts in funding and the dire situation of the persecuted Muslim community in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.

Representatives from at least 75 countries and organizations, including heads of state and government, have confirmed their participation in the conference, according to a statement from the office of Bangladesh’s interim government head Muhammad Yunus.

Bangladesh is hosting about 1.3 million Rohingya in the southeastern coast of Cox’s Bazar, with most of them fleeing a military crackdown in August 2017.

According to Yunus' office, approximately 150,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh over the past 18 months, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.

Yunus will be among the speakers in the opening session. Türkiye will represent the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), while Kuwait will represent the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the conference.

The conference aims to review the crisis and exchange perspectives on the ground situation in order to propose a comprehensive, innovative, concrete, and time-bound plan for a sustainable resolution. Key priorities include ensuring the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar, the statement said.