Daily Times

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has assured its support to the government to achieve 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The assurance was given when UNDP Resident Representative Knut Ostby called on Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan on Monday.

Knut Ostby briefed the minister on UNDP’s intervention in Pakistan. Under the Country Programme Document (CPD), UNDP is working in Pakistan in the areas of democratic governance, development policy, crisis prevention and recovery, and environment & climate change. Both the sides also discussed and finalised the way forward on UN Sustainable Development Goals investments in the country.

Omar Ayub Khan appreciated the contribution made by UNDP towards the attainment of the SDGs and highlighted that fruitful results can only be achieved through greater collaboration, increased communication and proactive measures undertaken to tackle issues faced.

He assured the UNDP of the highest cooperation in this regard. He remarked that the involvement of the private sector is important for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He highlighted that Pakistan is amongst the first countries that adopted the SDGs as National Development Goals and one of the few countries that is investing from its own resources to achieve the SDGs. The Minister also listed the development priorities of the Government. “We are confident that SDG investments will create impactful results for the people of Pakistan,” he added.

Knut Ostby thanked the government for the support extended in the organisation of SDG Investment Fair in April 2021 and appreciated the government for taking steps in achieving the SDGs.