PRIME MINISTER
GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
BANGLADESH
 

Statement of Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh on "Youth for the Future" Initiative.

      It is my pleasure to be present during the announcement of the Pan Commonwealth "Youth for the Future" Initiative. I am delighted to state that the Government of Bangladesh intends to participate in this exciting new programme.

      As you may be aware, provision of easily accessible and affordable credit to the youth has been a prime component of our development strategy. Experience shows that sustainable livelihood can be achieved through micro-financing. Micro-Finance is, indeed, an innovative measure for poverty redaction since it creates employment opportunities and at the same time raises people's standard of living. In this respect Bangladesh has been a pioneer. Bangladesh has now successful rnicro-finance activities in both government as well as private sector Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, we have also tried to marry micro-finance with small entrepreneurship. Some Bangladeshi organisations and projects have, in fact, specialized in this regard.

      I hope that the new programme of "Youth for the Future" will provide avenues to draw from the successful experience of Bangladesh and other countries. Through this new programme, we may rneaningfully disseminate expertise on micro-finance based entrepreneur development throughout the Commonwealth. Finally, We may also explore the possibility of evolving a common approach to small entrepreneur development in the Commonwealth countries. On behalf of the people of Bangladesh I pledge all out support to this programme.

      I also wish this programme all success.

      Thank you,

(Begum Khaleda Zia)
Prime Minister    
Bangladesh