-Meets World leaders, dignitaries at COP27 Summit in Egypt
-Hails Global community for helping Pakistan’s flood victims
-Thanks EU for support in FATF Grey List removal
By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the Sharm El Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit (SCIS) on Monday where he robustly campaigned for global action to address Pakistan’s Climate Change challenges, a statement released here by PMO.
The heads of several governments — in their interaction with Shehbaz on the sidelines of the mega climate change summit — termed his continued presence in the flood-affected areas as an “extraordinary gesture”, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He was received by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Sharm El Sheikh International Convention Centre.
In his meetings, the premier drew the attention of the international community to help Pakistan overcome the risks of climate change.
PM Shehbaz highlighted the damage suffered by Pakistan in wake of the recent flash floods and emphasised transforming key climate-related decisions into concrete actions and credible plans.
While thanking the international community for helping the flood-struck people in Pakistan, the prime minister stressed that as a developing country most affected by the phenomenon, Pakistan needed urgency of climate solidarity and climate justice.
The prime minister met with the Arab League’s Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Indonesia Vice President Maruf Amin, Iraq President Abdul Rasheed Rashid, Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
In his meeting with the UAE president, Shehbaz thanked the leadership and people of the UAE for their generous assistance to flood victims.
He thanked the Indonesian vice president for the immediate delivery of edible oil while the latter called Pakistan “a brother country” and expressed his delight at “helping whenever possible”, according to the PMO. The PMO also announced that Tajikistan’s president will visit Pakistan in December.
In his meeting with the European Commission’s president, Shehbaz appreciated the spirit of the European Union’s (EU) members to help flood victims and termed the EU and Pakistan as “important partners in achieving common goals”.
He added that the whole world would have to bear the consequences of climate change’s effects that developing countries are facing today.
He also appreciated European countries for cooperating in removing Pakistan from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list while advocating for the possibilities of bilateral trade between the EU and Pakistan.
Talking to the IMF managing director, Shehbaz told her that changes have been brought in budget estimates for the immediate relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.
He also expressed hope that the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) would prove to be a milestone in bringing climate justice.
The prime minister also met the Iraqi president, Lebanese prime minister and EU President Charles Michel. PM Shehbaz also had a meeting with UNSG Guterres at the summit’s sidelines.
Egypt’s government is hosting COP27 with a view to effectively tackling the global challenge of climate change.
COP27 is taking place at a time when millions of people in Pakistan, and millions more in other parts of the world, are facing severe adverse impacts of climate change.
