Pakistan pushes for debt relief, fair finance at Doha Summit

February 12, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan has called for placing financial justice “front and centre” at the upcoming Second World Social Summit in Doha, Qatar, emphasizing debt relief for developing nations as a crucial step toward building a more just world.

The call was made by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s alternate permanent representative to the UN, during a session of the Commission for Social Development.

Speaking at a panel discussion, Ambassador Ahmad emphasized the need for an inclusive and equitable international financial system to unlock resources essential for social development.

He highlighted the financial constraints faced by developing nations in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, despite their strong commitment to inclusive growth, as APP reported.

The Doha summit, scheduled for November 4-6, 2025, aims to address persistent social development gaps and accelerate progress toward global sustainability goals.

The Pakistani envoy stressed that the event must go beyond aspirations and deliver tangible outcomes to bridge widening social inequalities.

Ambassador Ahmad expressed concern over unfulfilled commitments from the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration, citing alarming global poverty and rising income inequality.

He underscored Pakistan’s national efforts in poverty eradication, employment generation, and social inclusion through initiatives like the Benazir Income Support Programme, youth empowerment schemes, universal health coverage, and digital governance reforms.

He urged the summit to focus on financing social protection programs for nearly half of the developing world’s population, improving access to quality education, healthcare, and social safety nets.

Additionally, he called for measures to ensure decent work conditions, gender equality, vocational training, and digital literacy especially for youth and women.

Highlighting the need for transparent governance, he emphasized the importance of tackling corruption, reforming tax policies, and strengthening public service accountability.

"Let us work together for a concise and action-oriented outcome in Doha that will put us on track to fulfill the Copenhagen commitments on social development," he said.

The session, chaired by Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski, also saw participation from government ministers across the world, including Sweden and Uganda.

Panelists discussed efforts to enhance health, education, gender equality, and economic inclusion while expressing concerns over eroding public trust in governance.

Ambassador Szczerski noted that progress in poverty eradication had stalled, while economic inequality and limited job opportunities continued to hinder social cohesion.

He stressed the need for global solidarity, combating misinformation, and fostering citizen participation to restore confidence in governments and ensure effective social policies.

The discussions at the UN commission set the stage for the Doha summit, where nations are expected to forge concrete strategies for inclusive and sustainable social development.

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