Pakistan & Maldives agree to advance cooperation in combating climate change,
DUBAI (Sadia Abassi) – Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Saturday called for immediately executing the $100 billion commitments for climate finance to ensure the implementation of climate change actions by developing countries and to mitigate the climate change impacts.
“Such finance should not be at the cost of development finance, nor should it add to the already high debt burden of developing countries,” the prime minister said while delivering the national statement at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP 28) of the United Nations here.
PM Kakar also called upon developed countries to take the lead in raising global mitigation ambition commensurate with their economic standing and historical responsibility and then help developing countries do the same.
“We need to achieve global resilience through delivering an ambitious outcome in the form of a framework for the global goal on adaptation with clear targets and indicators, including regular monitoring of progress,” he said, adding that at least half of climate finance must be allocated to adaptation.
The prime minister said expectations from COP28 were high, but not unrealistic, hoping that this COP would deliver with action, not just words.
He laid emphasis on providing adequate means of implementation, including climate finance, capacity-building, and technology, to developing countries to tackle this growing challenge.
Kakar highlighted that Pakistan suffered from super floods last year, while this year would be the world’s hottest year in recorded history.
At COP 26 in Glasgow, he said Pakistan increased its ambitions, presenting the revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) with a target of 60 percent overall reduction in projected emissions by 2030.
“This year, Pakistan presented a comprehensive national adaptation plan and has also launched an innovative Living Indus Initiative that brings together our care for climate and for nature,” he said. “We will also be presenting our first update report during this COP.”
Kakar stated last year that Pakistan led the endeavor to craft an agreement on establishing a global loss and damage fund, while this year “we worked to activate an adequately financed loss and damage fund and its funding arrangement.”
More From Daily The Destination: PM Kakar arrives in Dubai to attend 28th UN Conference of Parties
He said that climate justice demanded that developing countries enable achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) even as they contribute to climate objectives. “The provision of sufficient additional predictable grant-based climate finance by developed countries is imperative.
Erlier, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and President of Maldives Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday agreed to advance mutual cooperation in combating climate change.
The two leaders held a bilateral meeting here on the sidelines of COP 28 and emphasized the need of progress on result-oriented outcomes in the domain of climate action and justice. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed sharing of expertise in the realm of plantation of mangroves and other climate resistance floras.
The prime minister assured the President of Maldives of Pakistan’s full support to the Government and people of Maldives. PM Kakar felicitated Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on assumption of the office of the President of Maldives.
He also expressed his desire to promote peace and development in South Asia through enhanced regional cooperation. The two leaders resolved to further strengthen Pakistan-Maldives bilateral relations and capitalize on the immense goodwill between the people of the two countries.
They agreed to enhance high-level dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation especially in economic, trade, cultural and tourism sectors. The President of Maldives thanked the prime minister for conveying warm sentiments on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan.
Kakar meets the Prime Minister of Syria
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar met with the Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous on the side-lines of COP 28 in Dubai, today.
The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. The two leaders reviewed the bilateral relationship and agreed to enhance the frequency of bilateral political exchanges to foster understanding between the leadership and the brotherly peoples of the two countries.
The two leaders expressed commitment to strengthen cooperation in diverse fields including economic, cultural and tourism. They also agreed to revive the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Prime Minister Kakar and Prime Minister Arnous also discussed the ongoing Israeli violence against Palestinian people and called on the international community to take meaningful notice of the situation; press on Israel to stop the brutal use of force; ensure ceasefire; facilitate humanitarian assistance; and to resolve the Palestinian question in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
