Staff Reporter

Commissioner for Refugee Relief and Repatriation at YPSA’s Policy Review Workshop The Role of Local Organizations in Emergency Response is Undeniable The more skills local organizations acquire in emergency response, the more quality they will be able to implement. Capacity building of local development organizations in emergency response activities is crucial. As a local body, Ypsa has taken initiatives to update its policies and guidelines to implement higher quality activities. Ypsa is to be commended for its initiative to update the policy-guidelines as a local body for the implementation of humanitarian aid activities through transparency and accountability.

Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner and Additional Secretary Mohammad Mizanur Rahman gave the above opinion as the chief guest at the “Consultation Meeting with Ypsa Partners on Ypsa Policy” organized at a local hotel in Cox’s Bazar on May 29, 2023 in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) under the initiative of Ypsa. Head of General Food Assistance (GFA) Program of World Food Program (WFP) Cox’s Bazar Rokibul Alam, Liaison Officer of UNHCR-Cox’s Bazar Office Ikhteyar Uddin Bayezid, International Rescue Committee (IRC) Deputy Director (Programs) Shelley Collins, IOM Partnerships and Grants Manager Munuhi Richard, Qatar Charities Relief Coordinator Tanveer Elahi, IPSA Director (KMFRD) Mohammad Shahjahan, IPSA Director (SDP) ) Nashim Banu Shyamoli etc.

It should be noted here that Ypsa has been implementing various development programs in Greater Chittagong for more than 3 centuries since its establishment in 1985 as the United Nations Year of Youth. In this long journey, Ypsa has developed various policies and guidelines to implement the activities smoothly and within the rules. According to the needs of activities and time, a plan has been adopted to update the policy-guidelines of YPSA under the fifth strategic plan of YPSA so that social development and humanitarian assistance activities can be properly implemented within the rules.

The chief guest of the meeting praised the Rohingya humanitarian assistance programs and the need-based development programs of the host community implemented consistently by YPSA following and coordinating the policies of the Commissioner for Refugee Relief and Repatriation. He thanked Ypsa for implementing humanitarian assistance programs through transparency and accountability and offered advice on sustaining and expanding these programs. Representatives of UN agencies and international development and donor organizations working in Cox’s Bazar participated in the meeting.