KARACHI: FPCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh has welcomed the endeavours of United Nations in Pakistan to promote sustainable, inclusive and socially responsible business growth and practices.
On the occasion of FPCCI and UN consultative session on sustainable development goals (SDGs) and potential of sustained collaboration, he also expressed his desire to collaborate with UN from the platform of FPCCI on behalf of the entire business, industry and trade community of Pakistan, as being the apex body, FPCCI is uniquely positioned to create awareness across all sectors of the economy on SDGs, climate change, gender equality and social justice.
It is pertinent to note that the high-profile event was attended by UN officials from its various organs namely, United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO), UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UN Development Program (UNDP), UN International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Food Program (WFP) and Global Compact from Pakistan, Bangladesh and USA.
FPCCI SVP Suleman Chawla apprised the session that FPCCI has functional and representative standing committees in place on various socioeconomic sectors of the economy, and it can fully support UN’s Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SDCF) for Pakistan for the period of 2023–27. He added that these committees comprise of reputable experts from varied fields of sustainable development, i.e. environment, climate change, health, education, women entrepreneurship, women empowerment, human rights, skills development, etc.
FPCCI VP Engr M A Jabbar taking part in a high-profile panel discussion with Shahnaz Wazirali, a noted politician and a former member of the federal cabinet, emphasized that Pakistan needs to have an efficient, modern, functioning, honest and socially responsible bureaucracy to create an enabling environment for social development; else, no program for sustainable development and social uplift will be successful.
Shahnaz Wazirali said we must embrace diversity, inclusiveness, environmental consciousness, social justice and women emancipation to achieve SDGs and tread the path of inclusive & sustainable economic growth. She added that education for all should take prominence in achieving sustainable development.
Shah Nasir Khan, UN resident coordination officer, informed that UN is aware of the fact that Pakistan needs tens of billions of dollars to rehabilitate 33 million people affected by the recent floods and rebuild the infrastructure in the affected areas.
Dr Jawaid Qureshi, convener of FPCCI’s central standing committee on UN affairs, maintained that in order to protect Pakistan from the adverse and disproportionate effects of global warming, we need to have at least 25 percent of the country covered by forests; but currently, as matter of fact, we only have 2 percent of forests in Pakistan – which is a recipe for disaster.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022