Envoy urges increased resources and fiscal space to help developing countries
united nations:
Despite grappling with a triple food, fuel and financial crisis, Pakistan has made progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives of people around the world.
Speaking at a high-level political forum organised by the UN Economic and Social Council, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, emphasised that Pakistan is integrating the UN 2030 SDGs agenda into its national development policies and plans.
“We have made progress in implementing the SDGs. However, like other developing countries, Pakistan faces numerous challenges in achieving the SDGs by 2030,” Jadoon said. The Pakistani envoy called for increased funding and fiscal space to enable developing countries achieve these goals.
“Our efforts to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been hampered by a triple food, fuel and financial crisis,” Ambassador Jadoon explained, adding that these difficulties were further exacerbated by devastating floods in 2022 that affected 33 million people and caused more than $30 billion in damages.
“However, Pakistan remains committed to accelerating national efforts towards achieving the SDGs. In line with the principle of reaching the furthest behind first, we are implementing a special development plan for the upliftment of Pakistan’s 20 poorest districts,” he said.
“We are committed to producing 60% of our energy from renewable sources by 2030.”
The Ambassador stressed that the challenges facing developing countries in realizing the SDGs can only be overcome by providing them with the necessary means of implementation. He noted that the current SDG financing gap exceeds $4 trillion, and adaptation will require $215-387 billion per year by 2030.
