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| Imran Khan addresses Middle East Green Initiative Summit
| Says one billion mangrove trees will be planted in Pakistan to cope with environmental challenges | Invites Saudi companies to benefit from Pakistan’s huge investment potential | US Climate Envoy John Kerry meets PM Imran Khan on sidelines of the Summit
RIYADH/ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan said Monday that with 10 percent of countries responsible for 80 percent of the world carbon emissions, there is a need for collective efforts for taking this challenge more seriously.
Addressing the Middle East Green Initiative Summit in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Prime Minister said he hopes that we will collectively take this challenge more seriously. He said Pakistan unfortunately, being among the 10 most vulnerable countries, had faced 150 harsh weather events during the last ten years with an economic impact of over US $ 3.8 billion. He said the economic cost of climate change to be faced by Pakistan in the coming years has been estimated at US $ 6 to 14 billion
Prime Minister Imran Khan says one billion mangrove trees will be planted in Pakistan to cope with the growing environmental challenges. He said an initiative has been planned to boost mangrove plantation under Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme in the country.
He said Pakistan is taking serious steps to tackle the environmental issues. The Prime Minister said World should take it serious as it is now affecting coastal communities rapidly.
Imran Khan said tackling existing challenges that affect man-made infrastructure and coastal ecosystems has already become a serious concern.
Besides Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Summit was addressed by leaders and representatives of various countries including Kuwait, Algeria, UK, Greece, Jordan, Russia, Morroco, Qatar, Iraq, Yemen.
Saudi-Pak Investment Forum
Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the Saudi companies and entrepreneurs to benefit from Pakistan’s strategic location as well huge investment potential in diverse areas of economy including housing and construction for mutual benefit.
PM Khan particularly mentioned the mega development projects of Ravi City and Central Business District in Lahore and said it was the right time for Saudi investors to benefit from these projects. Prime Minister was addressing the Saudi-Pak Investment Forum organised in cooperation with Saudi Ministry of Investment here on Monday.
The Investment Forum was attended by senior representatives of the leading Saudi companies and entrepreneurs as well as Pakistani businessmen. Besides Saudi Investment Minister Engr. Khalid Al-Falih, the Forum was also addressed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Advisor on Finance Shaukat Tarin and Energy Minister Hammad Azhar.
Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighting the close and historic ties between the two brotherly nations said that Pakistan-Saudi relations transcend all other relations due to people to people contacts.
Whichever government comes to power in Pakistan, it does not affect Pakistan-Saudi relations, he added. The Prime Minister said the special relationship with Saudi Arabia besides the fact that they were tied with the two Holy Mosques, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia always stood with each other in hard times.
“As human beings, we don’t remember those who were with you in good times but those who stood with you in bad times”, he remarked. Reiterating his country’s commitment to the territorial integrity of the Kingdom, the Prime Minister said that whenever there is any security threat, Pakistan will stand with Saudi Arabia and ensure its security.
Imran Khan said like Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, who has dynamism and a passion for change, he also wanted a Naya Pakistan. He said that Pakistan was the fastest growing economy in Asia until 1960s with strong institutions like PIA being one of the best airlines in the world at that time. “Then we lost that path through the policy of nationalisation”, he added.
Prime Minister said that now the present government was exploring the potential by incentivising various sectors in a country of 220 million people, out of which majority of people were below the age of 30 years.
‘Jammu and Kashmir dispute’
He said that Pakistan due to its strategic location having two biggest markets in the neighbourhood and connectivity with Central Asia through Afghanistan provided a real opportunity to investors to take benefit.
Prime Minister said that if relations with India are improved, which was possible only through the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UN Resolutions and giving the Kashmirs right of self-determination, Pakistan will have access to three big markets.
While highlighting the need for improving ties with India, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that it is not a good time for such a conversation since Pakistan’s emphatic wing against Indian in the T20 World Cup. .
“We have two of the biggest markets in the world neighbouring us, through Afghanistan we have [access] to Central Asian markets. We have excellent relations with China, but if somehow we improve our relationship with India — I know after last night’s thrashing by the Pakistan team in the cricket match, it’s not a very good time to talk about improving relations with India,” he said.
Urging the Saudi companies to get benefitted from Pakistan’s potential and opportunities he said that it was right time for them in invest in two mega projects of Ravi City and Central Business District in Lahore.
“Successful businessmen take risks. If you look at the strategic location of Pakistan, which is open for investment, it can benefit both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, he added.
Similarly, the Prime Minister said that with 300,000 acres of virgin land – next to River Indus, allocated for investment, Saudi companies can invest in agriculture and food security sectors. “If we come together, it will really benefit the two countries, he stressed.
Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked Eng Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih for his invaluable role in successfully organizing the Investment Forum. He also warmly welcomed the investors to the Forum and expressed the hope that tangible outcomes would be achieved for the benefit of the two countries.
The Saudi Minister for Investment, in his keynote address, underscored the longstanding and abiding ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and reaffirmed the resolve to further deepen bilateral trade, investment and business links. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi focused on Pakistan’s shift from geo-politics to geo-economics; Adviser on Finance highlighted economic resurgence of Pakistan; and Minister for Energy outlined the vast opportunities in the energy, agriculture, livestock and other key sectors.
Separate presentations were made on the investment opportunities in Pakistan in the housing and hydropower sectors. The event was attended by a large number of Saudi investors and businessmen, key Pakistani business leaders, investors from Pakistani Diaspora, and stakeholders from Pakistan’s private sector based in the Kingdom.
The leading Saudi firms including SABIC, ACWA Power, Ma’aden, SALIC, Al-Zamil Group, Al-Bawani Group and Riyad Bank attended the Forum and affirmed their resolve to build deeper engagement with Pakistan.
Existential threat of climate change
Also, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday highlighting the priority attached by the government of Pakistan to climate change underscored the need to reinforce national as well as global emphasis against this existential threat.
He was talking to the United States’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, who called on him on the sidelines of the “Middle East Green Initiative (MGI)” Summit in Riyadh.
The Prime Minister shared his perspective with the special envoy on challenges faced by Pakistan and other developing countries due to climate change, while highlighting Pakistan’s experience of launching nature-based solutions to address the environmental challenges, including the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami project.
Reviewing the ongoing collaboration between Pakistan and the United States on climate change and environment, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed satisfaction on the recently held inaugural meeting of the “US-Pakistan Climate and Environment Working Group” which explored potential areas of bilateral Pak-US cooperation on climate action.
Special Envoy Kerry agreed that Pakistan and the US shared a longstanding relationship, which should be further reinforced in areas of mutual convergence, including climate and environment.
He acknowledged various initiatives undertaken by Pakistan to fight climate change.
Emphasizing the priority attached by the U.S. Administration towards the issue of climate change, Special Envoy Kerry briefed the Prime Minister on various measures undertaken by the Biden Administration for developing a broad global consensus on climate action in the run-up to the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP-26), later this month.
The Prime Minister underscored that Pakistan and the United States should continue sharing ideas, expertise and technology to optimize mutually beneficial opportunities in the fight against climate change.
He also encouraged the Special Envoy to further explore possibility of enhanced bilateral engagement through the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to support investment in climate mitigation, resilience, and adaptation in Pakistan and the developing world.
The Special Envoy acknowledged the huge potential of cooperation in these areas and expressed the desire to further explore opportunities of bilateral cooperation including in power generation projects from renewable sources.
The two sides agreed to work in close coordination to determine next steps in building an effective framework of cooperation in this regard.
In the regional context, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for Pakistan and the region. He stressed the imperative for the international community to work pragmatically to preserve peace and security, avert humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and prevent an economic collapse.
The Prime Minister underscored the need for positive engagement and release of economic resources and financial assets for the welfare of the Afghan people.
PM felicitates Shavkat Mirziyoyev on re-election as Uzbek president
Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday congratulated incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan on the ”impressive victory” in the presidential election.
“Heartiest congratulations to my friend President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (of Uzbekistan) on impressive victory in Presidential elections. People of brotherly Uzbekistan have again reposed their trust in his able leadership,” the prime minister said on Twitter.
The prime minister said he looked forward to continued productive engagement between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
According to Uzbek media, around 16.21 million citizens took part in the voting, which is 80.4% of the total number of voters included in the lists. Incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoyev won more than 80.1% of the votes in the presidential elections.