DHAKA, June 29, 2022 (BSS) - Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen is scheduled to arrive in Portuguese capital Lisbon tomorrow to lead the Bangladesh delegation at the 2nd UN Ocean Conference 2022. 
 
Bangladesh foreign minister is expected to make the country statement at the plenary session and to participate in the interactive dialogues on the sidelines of the conference, a foreign ministry press release said here today. 
 
Momen is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Portuguese Foreign Minister Mr. Joao Gomes Cravinho and inaugurate the chancery building of the Bangladesh Embassy in Lisbon. 
 
The 2nd UN Ocean Conference was kicked off on Tuesday in Lisbon with an aim to address many of the challenges through structural transformations and science-based innovative solutions to achieve Sustainable Development Goal-14 which are conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. 
 
Portugal and Kenya are co-hosting this global conference this year.
 
Portuguese President Dr. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and President of Kenya Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta co-chaired the opening high-level plenary session, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the international community to unite to tackle the ocean emergency. 
 
The secretary general also stressed the need to preserve and protect the ocean and safeguard peoples' lives and livelihood.
 
Bangladesh foreign ministry's secretary of the Maritime Affairs Unit Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam and Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Tarik Ahsan participated in the both plenary session and interactive dialogue titled "Addressing Marine Pollution" on the opening day. 
 
On Wednesday, the Bangladesh delegation participated in another interactive dialogue titled "Promoting and strengthening sustainable ocean-based economies, in particular for Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries" as well as the plenary session where leaders around the globe made interventions.