Pakistan re-elected to UN's economic and social council by highest vote

UNITED NATIONS: Polling the highest number of votes, Pakistan was re-elected on Tuesday to a key body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi said Pakistan’s election was a recognition of Islamabad’s positive contribution to the work of the world body.

In secret balloting in the 54-member ECOSOC, the economic arm of the U.N., Pakistan secured 48 votes to retain its seat on 18-member Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a term beginning on 1 January 2020 and expiring on 31 December 2023.

“We are humbled by the support we received from all regions of the world,” the Pakistani envoy told APP after the election.

“Pakistan ‘s strong showing in this election is an indication of the confidence of the international community in our country and its role and record in multilateral bodies,” Ambassador Lodhi added.

Pakistan has served the commission, which was established in 1946, continuously since 2008, assisting the United Nations in supervising the application of international drug control treaties.

It also made substantive contributions during negotiations on the draft outcome document of the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem.

In 2017, the Commission at its 60th anniversary Session, adopted by consensus, Pakistan’s resolution entitled “Strengthening International Cooperation to assist the States most affected by the illicit transit of drugs, especially developing countries, based on the principle of common and shared responsibility”.

Pakistan also hosted a high-level expert group conference on the theme of “Preventing Drug Abuse in Educational Setting: Fostering regional cooperation and Partnership” in Islamabad from 11 – 13 February 2019 in which experts from Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated.