Needs of South Asians can only be fulfilled by pooling resources: FM Qureshi
Pandemic has had greatest impact on most vulnerable segments of our society: Shah Mehmood Qureshi
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that our common challenges including global pandemic, climate change, locusts and food insecurity need a regional approach and for that SAARC needs to renew its focus on these challenges so that it can be better institutionally prepared to deal with such issues.
Addressing a SAARC ministerial conference, he said, “Pandemic has had greatest impact on most vulnerable segments of our society and it has also affected development agenda of governments and in such times of crisis needs of people of South Asia can only be fulfilled by pooling resources and taking a regional approach” he said “In this regard, Pakistan is ready to contribute and play its part.”
While criticizing performance of SAARC, he said that the organization embodies that hopes of the people of South Asia; however, its impact on the lives of the people has not lived up to the expectations despite horizontal growth of organization and its bodies.
He urged member countries to make efforts more focused and result oriented and accordance to regional and international organizations. He said “Our region being a huge consumer market offers immense opportunities for regional trade in goods, services and investment”.
The foreign minister said collective area and pollution makes us one of the largest regional organization in the world. “Demographics of South Asia are unique where large segment of our society comprises of energetic youth making us biggest market for human resource” he added.
