Dutch PR to UN Food Security Agencies due tomorrow

DHAKA, Nov 18 (BSS) - Gerda Verburg, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations Food Security Agencies (UNFSA), will arrive for an official visit here tomorrow.

Her visit highlights the important development work that is
taking place in Bangladesh under the strong collaboration of
government, UN agencies, the donor community and other partners.

The Netherlands have been a dedicated partner to the country
and continue to support efforts to improve food security,
increase incomes and enhance livelihoods for women, men and
children in Bangladesh.

During her visit, Verburg will meet representatives of the
government of Bangladesh and the UN Food Security Agencies the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the
World Food Programme (WFP), the so-called Rome-based agencies.

She will also visit a number of projects being implemented
through collaborative initiatives.

In Bamna and Barisal, Verburg will meet beneficiaries and
officials and learn first-hand about the progress and impact that
different projects have had on the vulnerable communities living
in this region.

In line with the different but inter-linked mandates of the
three agencies and also in close collaboration with UNICEF, these
projects aim to address a range of issues including integrated
food and nutrition security, food safety, market infrastructure,
community managed maternal and child nutrition, school feeding
and rural development in Bangladesh.

She will also visit a food safety laboratory and school
feeding in Dhaka slums. The UN projects support and work within
existing government frameworks.

Verburg is a Dutch diplomat, former politician and trade
union leader. She has been the permanent Representative of the
Netherlands to the United Nations agencies in Rome since July
2011.

Verburg was an MP from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2010 to
2011. She further served as Minister of Agriculture in the Dutch
coalition cabinet from 2007 to 2010.