Swedish Crown Princess arrives in Dhaka

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden arrived in Dhaka on Monday (18 March) on a four-day official visit as part of her role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme and the Sustainable Development Goals.    

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud received the Princess on Monday morning at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The Crown Princess on her visit will be accompanied by Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and UNDP Assistant Secretary General Ulrika Modéer, according to a press release issued by the Swedish embassy on Sunday.

The purpose of the visit is to learn about the development journey of Bangladesh and study the progress and challenges in the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on climate, gender equality, the green and digital transition and the role of the business sector, added the press release.

The Crown Princess and the delegation will hold talks with representatives of the government, entrepreneurs, organisations, development partners and youth.

They will participate in events focused on the business sector's role in promoting the green and digital transition.

A series of field visits will centre around themes such as climate adaptation, digitalisation and local solutions.

The delegation will also visit southern Bangladesh, including the Rohingya Refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.

"I look forward to visiting Bangladesh together with the Crown Princess in her role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP and with Ulrika Modéer, Assistant Secretary General at UNDP. The Swedish government actively contributes to the implementation of Agenda 2030," says Forssell, who makes his first visit to the country.

Sweden and Bangladesh's partnership goes back more than 50 years and consists of long-term development cooperation and extensive trade, he said.
 
"Bangladesh has made an impressive development journey in recent years and is expected to transition from a low-income country to a middle-income country in 2026. The business sector, including Swedish companies, plays an important role in promoting the green and digital transition, which contributes significantly to job creation and sustainable growth," Forssell added.

The Crown Princess returns to Bangladesh almost two decades after her first visit to the country in 2005.

She then spent three days primarily following up on Swedish development cooperation in the northwestern parts of Bangladesh.

The Crown Princess was appointed UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October 2023.

She plays a key role in increasing awareness and engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals and a sustainable future where no one is left behind.