Pakistan interested to join International Solar Alliance

Pakistan alongside China has shown interest in becoming members of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which could potentially add weight to the first treaty-based international government organization based in India.

“China is a prospective member country as some parts of it is located within the tropics. As of today, given its location, Pakistan can be a partner country and there is a proposal to amend the framework agreement. Once an amendment takes place, tropics will not be the borders for the ISA. Pakistan can be a member then,” quoted LiveMint, citing its sources.

Some 65 countries including UK, Australia and UAE are signatories to the ISA framework agreement, 35 countries have ratified it.

Initially, ISA envisaged 121 sunshine countries situated between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as its members. But during the founding conference of the ISA earlier this year, India said that membership of the body will be thrown open to all countries that want to join, with no criteria such as duration of sunlight and geographical location.

“Pakistan’s view is that since it’s not within the tropics, it can’t be a member. However, once the amendment is done, they are interested in becoming a member. They will benefit from the opportunities that ISA can provide,” added the source.

The ISA intends to mobilize more than $1000 billion of investments that are needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of affordable solar energy.