Pakistan at UN says development agenda incomplete without people under occupation

NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi told the world body that its 2030 agenda would be incomplete without delivering on the pledge to end injustice and provide people struggling for their right to self determination the ability to determine their own destiny

Lodhi was addressing during the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 71st Session, where she called on the international community not to overlook the dire situation and suffering of people living under colonial and foreign occupation.

I stressed the critical role of trade in development. Glaring & persisting inequities in global econ and trading systems must be addressed

— Maleeha Lodhi (@LodhiMaleeha) October 3, 2016

“As we implement the new agenda we must pledge to remove the obstacles to the full realisation of their right to self-determination, which prevents their economic and social development and their ability to achieve and implement sustainable development goals. We must ensure that they are not left behind”, she said.

She emphasised that a fair international trading regime was essential to implementing the 2030 development agenda. She pointed to glaring and persistent inequities in the international economic and trading systems that she said needed to be addressed.

The Pakistani envoy also emphasised the need to resolve many of the serious and long standing concerns of the developing world, relating to agriculture, misuse of subsidies, intellectual property rights, and opaque and restricted use of various standards.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Paris Agreement have renewed faith in multilateralism and international dev cooperation

— Maleeha Lodhi (@LodhiMaleeha) October 3, 2016

But availability of matching resources will be a critical test of our cooperation and renewed global partnership envisioned in 2030 agenda

— Maleeha Lodhi (@LodhiMaleeha) October 3, 2016

While raising other concerns of developing countries, Lodhi said that ‘availability of matching resources’ will remain a critical test of our cooperation and renewed global partnership, envisioned in the 2030 Development Agenda.

She said there was sufficient empirical data to establish that some of the major challenges that are faced by the developing world, such as climate change, hunger and poverty cannot be addressed without comprehensive support mechanisms.

“Greater self-reliance and utilization of indigenous resources, complemented by international cooperation will be at the heart of this effort”, she added.

Talking about Climate Change, Lodhi said that this was one of the defining issues of our times terming it as ‘the centre of the new development agenda’.

She reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to implement the Paris Agreement, and told the world body that taking action to reverse the adverse impact of Climate Change is ‘our national priority’ and that Pakistan has already initiated necessary legal procedures for early ratification.