UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has said that accountability and recovery of stolen assets was a cornerstone of the agenda of Pakistan’s new government.

“We firmly believe that enhancing international cooperation is critical to combat illicit financial flows, especially for recovery of stolen assets”, she said while speaking in the General Assembly’s Second Committee, which deals with economic and financial matters.

Ambassador Lodhi said that colonial and foreign occupation was a huge obstacle to economic and social development, and to the achievement of 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.

“As we envision an inclusive world in 2030: ensuring that no one is left behind, we must ensure that people under colonial and foreign occupation are not left behind either.”

Lodhi also cited the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a “shining example” of South cooperation, saying the mega project’s scale and scope was enormous, with huge economic and developmental benefits to the two countries, as well as to the region and beyond.

In her speech, she highlighted the socio-economic priorities of the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government, saying they were in sync with the 2030 global development agenda.

These priorities include revitalizing the economy, uplifting the agriculture sector, providing sustainable and affordable energy, conservation, sustainable use of water resources, ensuring green growth, reform of the governance structure, enhancing accountability, and transformation of the health and education sectors.

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

The challenges faced by multilateralism and rule-based cooperative arrangements can adversely affect the realization of development objectives that the international community has set for itself, she said.

Dr. Lodhi also underlined the importance attached by Pakistan on effective and efficient management of water resources. She said that as water scarce country Pakistan was aware of this emerging threat that can undermine its sustainable development gains, retard economic growth and push people back to poverty.

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