New York, 23 July 2022 (TDI): UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson, called on Pakistani Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UN, Munir Akram.
The Special Envoy and the Ambassador had a discussion about evolving the Blue Economy.
#CallOn Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative to the UN 🇵🇰🇺🇳, by Ambassador Peter Thomson, Secretary General’s @antonioguterres Special Envoy on #Ocean, July 22, 2022, New York pic.twitter.com/JylEvrwyVx
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) July 22, 2022
The Blue Economy
The Blue economy means a sustainable ocean-based economy. It includes a range of economic sectors and related policies aiming to foster economic and social progress while maintaining the health of our oceans and coasts.
In 2020, Pakistan declared the year the ‘Year of Blue Economy.’ The initiative also included the blue economy in the 2025 vision goal of the state.
This initiative aimed to boost the country’s ocean industries such as ship-making, ship-breaking, tourism, and so on.
Moreover, Pakistan and China have also moved toward the blue partnership under CPEC. It is massively contributing to the growth of the maritime sector, increasing the investment in the coastal belt in the country.
This has also attracted foreign investment in the maritime sector of the country. Saudi Arabia plans to set up a $10 billion oil refinery in Pakistan’s deepwater port of Gwadar.
The Pakistani government is developing a blue strategy in line with the ‘Blue Revolution’ to establish the state as a maritime state.
Pakistan has significantly established a marine pollution control board and a ‘Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan’ to halt ocean pollution.
Moreover, Pakistan has also launched the ‘Green Ship Breaking’ project to adopt sustainable practices in the ship-breaking industry.
Pakistan at UN Ocean Conference 2022
During the UN Ocean Conference 2022, held from 27 June to 1 July, Pakistan represented G77 and China.
Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram stated that the world is facing a global emergency in the Oceans. Sea levels are rising, coastal erosion is worsening, marine pollution is increasing, and marine biodiversity is rapidly declining.
He reiterated the SDGs and principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. Further, he called on the developed countries to fulfill their commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.
Pakistani Ambassador concluded that states, corporations, civil society, and other stakeholders need to implement the commitments of the Ocean Conference.
Our commitment to these measures is necessary to save and sustain the Oceans for the benefit of people and the planet.
