ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office said that Pakistan will continue to champion the cause of strengthening the development pillar of the UN system, and work closely with the member states to leverage the mandate of the ECOSOC more effectively.

Pakistan has been elected as a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the three-year term from 2024-2026, in the election held on 8th June 2023 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Pakistan will take its seat at ECOSOC on 1st January 2024. This will be Pakistan’s 11th tenure as a member of ECOSOC.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Pakistan has served on the 54-member Council 10 times in the past, serving as its president on six different occasions (1952, 1957, 1975, 1995, 2005, and 2020).

At ECOSOC, she stated that Pakistan has been a leading voice and a consensus-builder on promoting international economic cooperation and sustainable development.

“During its new term, Pakistan will continue to champion the cause of strengthening the development pillar of the UN system, and work closely with the Member States to leverage the Council’s mandate more effectively,” she said, adding that it will work for strengthening ECOSOC’s voice and role in realisation of Agenda 2030.

During the voting on Thursday, Pakistan received 129 votes in balloting in the 193-member assembly. Pakistan was contesting one of three Asian seats — also being contested by Iraq, Japan, Nepal, and Tajikistan. A two-thirds majority — 124 votes — was required for the election.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated Pakistan’s permanent mission in New York and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a successful campaign.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023