Deadly conflicts, horrific terrorist attacks and a worsening global humanitarian crisis have dominated 2015. Yet this year also saw a number of major international breakthroughs, most recently with the Climate Agreement in Paris. But for these agreements to bring us closer to a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world, 2016 must be all about action and implementation.

In early September, I travelled to New York for the Sustainable Development Summit at the UN. There, a sweeping new global development agenda was adopted by 193 countries, including Bangladesh and my own country, the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

THE ratification of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that will be the world's roadmap for development over the next 15 years is an important...

First, social protection programmes designed to offer protection (for example, from hunger), fail to offer the ladder (for example, jobs or livelihood) to climb out of extreme poverty. Second, it doesn't recognise that the ultra poor require additional guidance.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says the two foreign nationals were killed in a planned way and alleged that BNP-Jamaat nexus might have a link to the two murders.

On September 25, 2015, world leaders adopted a resolution entitled 'Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development'. The agenda is a “comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative goals and targets” – now referred to as the Global Goals.

The world has adopted a bold new agenda to end poverty and preserve the planet. The ambitious 15 year plan, adopted unanimously by 193 member states of the UN, comes with great challenges...