Pak Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi discusses Socio-economic Priorities at General Assembly

October 12, 2018: Pakistan’s Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi has said that the Socio-Economic priorities of the PTI government include revitalizing the economy, uplifting the agriculture sector, providing sustainable and affordable energy, conservation and sustainable use of water resources, ensuring green growth, reform of the governance structure, enhancing accountability, and transformation of the health and education sectors, during the Second Committee of the General Assembly on Thursday 11^th October.

“While domestic resource mobilization and greater self-reliance are at the heart of this effort, we believe an enabling international environment, greater access to financial resources and technological support remain critical to achieve our priorities” she stressed.

On the issue of corruption and illicit financial flows, Ambassador Lodhi said that accountability and recovery of stolen assets was a corner stone of the agenda of Pakistan’s new government.

In a wide-ranging statement that addressed major issues on the Committee’s agenda, Ambassador Lodhi presented Pakistan’s point of view on important issues such as Climate Change, cooperation among developing countries, China Pakistan Economic Corridor, UN Development Reforms and the UN’s role to ensure that the fruits of sustainable development reached everyone and no one was left behind.

She also urged the international community to ensure that people suffering under colonial and foreign occupation are not left behind in the inclusive world envisioned in the UN’s 2030 development agenda.

Ambassador Lodhi said that colonial and foreign occupation was a huge obstacle to economic and social development, and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"Let me underline Pakistan’s continued support to people living under colonial domination and foreign occupation," she said in the Committee's general debate. "A people’s right of self-determination is a fundamental human right, enshrined in the UN Charter," the Pakistani envoy said.

Dr. Lodhi also highlighted the importance attached by Pakistan on effective and efficient management of water resources.

She said that as a water stressed country Pakistan was aware of this emerging threat that can undermine its sustainable development gains, retard economic growth and push people back to poverty.

“We have recently adopted a National Water Policy, offering a comprehensive approach to water issues which is focused on increasing water storage capacity through a number of large-scale projects” she was quoted saying.

She cited the example of Diamer-Bhasha Dam, and said that once materialized this would serve as a major source for clean energy, drinking water and irrigation.