Islamabad:Pakistan's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, has emphasized the need for urgent climate finance delivery and international cooperation to manage shared water resources sustainably. He addressed these issues during the general debate of the UN General Assembly's Second Committee.

According to Radio Pakistan, Ambassador Jadoon stressed that climate justice and adherence to international law should be central to global development initiatives. He highlighted the severe development challenges faced by developing countries due to conflicts, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and various economic crises.

On the topic of climate action, he called for a credible plan to mobilize 300 billion US dollars in climate finance, incorporating grants and concessional finance. He also urged for a tripling of adaptation finance and sufficient capital for the Loss and Damage Fund. Additionally, he expressed Pakistan's support for Turkiye and Australia in making COP31 a "COP of delivery."

Ambassador Jadoon underscored the importance of water security and advocated for the 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conferences to tackle water-related challenges comprehensively, especially those involving shared water resources. He emphasized the need to respect international treaties on transboundary waters.

He also addressed the significant annual SDG financing gap, estimated at four trillion US dollars, calling for enhanced domestic resource mobilization in developing countries, increased international public finance, and reforms in the international debt architecture.

Ambassador Jadoon highlighted the necessity for equitable international tax systems, adherence to the 0.7 percent ODA commitment, and the expansion of multilateral development bank lending capacities. He stressed the importance of improving lending terms and reducing borrowing costs.

On the issue of debt, he reaffirmed Pakistan's support for the Borrowers' Platform and advocated for greater representation of developing countries in the international financial system. He called for the revitalization of the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism and progress on agriculture, along with the elimination of unilateral trade-restrictive measures.

Regarding emerging technologies, Ambassador Jadoon warned about the potential for an AI divide to exacerbate development disparities. He called for focusing on the development aspects of AI governance, including capacity-building and progress toward establishing a Global Fund for AI.