ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly (NA) Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that robust regional cooperation is central to tackling the endemic poverty and fostering an inclusive growth within the region and beyond.
Underlining the need for joint action, the Speaker remarked that Pakistan is committed to promote policy coherence on shared regional concerns and pressing development challenges.
He was speaking to Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Ms. Shamshad Akhtar who called on him at Parliament House, Islamabad on Tuesday.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq remarked that regional challenges cannot be addressed in isolation rather a concerted action under the umbrella of United Nations will prove highly effective.
The Speaker acknowledged the contributions of UNESCAP in rendering effective assistance to Member States to fight hunger, poverty, and promote sub-regional development and trade.
In addition to capacity building of member states, the Speaker also underlined the need for sharing expertise and knowledge with Members of UNESCAP in pursuit of its 2030 Agenda. He urged Ms. Shamshad Akhtar to forge stronger partnership between Pakistan and UNESCAP during her tenure as Executive Secretary.
Referring to the partnership between UNESCAP, ADB and UNDP—known as the Asia-Pacific SDGs Partnership, the Speaker NA said that such partnership is highly effective for transformative change in terms of realization of to Sustainable Development Goals.
Referring to Pakistan’s commitment to SDGs, he informed that Pakistan has constituted a Parliamentary Task Force and a dedicated secretariat for SDGs on the premises of the National Assembly Secretariat to fast-track progress on SDGs.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq appreciated the services of Ms. Shamshad Akhtar to Pakistan’s development and expressed his confidence that she will continue to play a larger role in uplifting lower classes of the society within Asia and beyond under the umbrella of UNESCAP.
The Executive Secretary UNESCAP, Ms. Shamshad Akhtar appreciated Pakistan’s parliamentary commitment to fast track progress on SDGs and highlighted that UNESCAP will continue to partner with Pakistan in promoting regional development agenda. She added that undertaking social development and eradication of poverty through sustainable practices are defining parameters for good governance.
Ms. Shamshad Akhtar appreciated the Speaker’s vision for promoting policy coherence on shared regional challenges and added that cooperation on developmental is highly imperative for regional peace and prosperity.
