Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi unveiled the “SDG Investment Report 2021: Leveraging Private Investments for Pakistan’s Sustainable Development” on Wednesday.
The paper, which was presented at the Foreign Office, highlighted Pakistan’s business portfolio and potential for attracting private sector investments, all of which are in line with the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Qureshi detailed his vision for economic diplomacy in his keynote talk, which is oriented toward the promotion of Pakistan’s economic security agenda.
He emphasised the importance of developing novel funding alternatives in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, citing the growing trajectory of macroeconomic indicators.
The foreign minister also emphasised the importance of both the public and private sectors working together to raise development sector investments in order to achieve the SDGs. In order to make development sustainable, he stressed the importance of focusing on health, agriculture, renewable energy, and infrastructure.
He underlined Pakistan’s commitment to assisting its international partners in increasing their economic and development investments in the country, and urged them to take advantage of the report’s unique possibilities.
FM Qureshi also complimented UNDP Pakistan for providing exceptional support, policy guidance, and technical assistance in positioning the investment portfolio on global investment platforms and establishing Pakistan’s first-ever SDG Investor Map.
The UNDP senior advisor on finance for development also gave an overview of the report during the event.
The chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI), the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) matters, the Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan, members of the diplomatic corps, UN agencies, the private sector, think-tanks, and journalists were among those who attended the event.
The report was written under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the UNDP and the Board of Investment.
According to an official statement, the report would help leverage and mobilise much-needed funding for the country’s long-term growth. It will go a long way toward alleviating the Covid pandemic’s socioeconomic issues and assisting Pakistan in moving forward.
