Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar says Pakistan is determined to enhance regional connectivity and increase bilateral and multilateral development partnerships for socio-economic uplift.
Addressing the inaugural session of "Margalla Dialogue" in Islamabad on Tuesday, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan also remains determined to capitalize on these inherited advantages for the prosperity and betterment for people and our region by prioritizing geo-economics, which is one of the cardinal pillars of our engagement with the international partners.
Ishaq Dar said that the theme of this dialogue 'The Future of Global Order: Cooperation or Confrontation' is extremely relevant in the backdrop of the erosion of multilateral values, the increase in unilateral and bloc politics and trade wars, as well as new and emerging challenges.
'In my recent statements, on multilateral foras including UNSC, I have repeatedly warned that humanity is facing unprecedented challenges today that threaten to disrupt global peace, security, and development' Ishaq Dar said.
He said that this is no exaggeration. He said that the very notion of multilateralism and international cooperation - especially that represented by the United Nations - is being questioned by many skeptical voices and current global conflicts.
He said that multilateral institutions are weakening. He said that the UN Security Council remains deadlocked by political divisions. There is a strong perception, backed by the examples of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir, that the Security Council is failing to fulfill its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security.
Ishaq Dar said that global and even domestic economic inequalities are deepening, owing to inherent deficiencies in the global financial architecture. Debt distress has overtaken more than one hundred countries, negatively impacting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Agenda.
He said that the developing countries like Pakistan continue to face the brunt of the climate crisis; despite contributing negligibly to its triggers, Pakistan remains one of top 10 most vulnerable countries. In this backdrop, cooperation - not confrontation - should be the hallmark of our international approach. That is why Pakistan remains a firm believer in the enduring relevance and importance of multilateralism.
Ishaq Dar said that as the world's most representative multilateral institution, the United Nations remains uniquely placed to address global challenges.
Ishaq Dar said that we support the need for universal and consistent adherence to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, including the self-determination of peoples, non-use or threat of force, and the pacific settlement of disputes.
He said that after years, the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2788 during Pakistan's Presidency of the UN Security Council which I chaired, in July earlier this year demonstrates Pakistan's commitment to multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for the UN Charter, and effective implementation of Security Council resolutions.
Ishaq Dar said that we must strengthen multilateral institutions - especially the UN - while adapting them to address contemporary and future challenges. During Pakistan's presidency, we also held a debate as to strengthening of the bond between UN and OIC which is the 2nd largest multilateral forum. It is hard to imagine a world without such institutions.
He said that in the same spirit, Pakistan remains supportive of other initiatives aimed at increasing multilateral cooperation, including the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) of President Xi of China to which Pakistan is a signatory, which seeks to make the global governance system more responsive to the needs of developing countries and to address the common challenges.
Ishaq Dar said that to strengthen multilateralism, all states - small or large - must accept and respect the principles of the UN Charter and international law. To break the vicious cycle of poverty and rising global inequity, we must confront head-on the imbalances in international economic relations.
He said that neither the SDGs nor climate goals can be achieved without international cooperation and strict implementation mechanism. Concrete actions are needed to help developing countries, trapped in liquidity crises and debt distress by ensuring adequate concessional finance; re-channeling unused SDRs; securing a sustained increase in the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks; and funding the International Development Association (IDA).
Ishaq Dar said that the international financial architecture must be reformed to promote development and global financial equity. Likewise, UN including Security Council requires reforms for which Pakistan is fully supportive and actively participating. The world trading system must also be redesigned to promote sustainable development.
Ishaq Dar said that access to advanced technologies - especially digital technologies - must be equitable, accessible and non-discriminatory. Ishaq Dar said that we also need enhanced global climate action and international cooperation to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, based on the established principles of Equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).
Ishaq Dar said that as the world gathers in Brazil (Bel©m) for COP30, the developed countries must meet their climate finance commitments, with a balanced focus on adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage.
'I am happy to note that the sixth Margalla Dialogue will focus on many of these issues, including the need for greater regional connectivity' Ishaq Dar said.
He said that located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, Pakistan is endowed with rich natural and human resources and enormous economic potential.
Ishaq Dar said that we remain determined to capitalize on these inherent advantages for the prosperity and betterment of our people and our region by prioritizing geo-economics as one of the cardinal pillars of our engagement with international partners. We are determined to enhance regional connectivity and increase bilateral and multilateral development partnerships for socio-economic uplift. We remain open to engaging with all partners and institutions to achieve the desired goals, Ishaq Dar said.
The Deputy Prime Minister also commended the Islamabad Policy Research Institute for organizing this timely event.