Ladies and Gentlemen, all of us gathered here have deep interest in the seas and oceans, which are our common heritage. We need to benefit from these gifts of nature in an equitable, inclusive, environment friendly and sustainable manner while ensuring that we preserve this common heritage for the future of generations to come. Challenges are huge, but opportunities are even greater. Both Interests and challenges at sea are common and have to be dealt with together. IMO provides us the forum to work together towards the common good of all. Challenges at sea are numerous, some of them being Piracy, Trafficking in (Human, Drug, Firearms), IUU Fishing, and one of the most important the environmental protection, sustainability and Climate change issues. Challenges on various other fronts include global inflation, conflicts and scarcity of resources. Pakistan is indeed happy to be an active partner in the comity of maritime nations and appreciates the collective work being done under IMO’s aegis and taking forward UN and IMO strategic goals. Oceans are the planet’s climate regulators; global warming and climate changes are having devastating impact in the world. Pakistan is among the countries which have suffered the most due to global warming and climate change. 2022’s heatwave and devastating floods disasters resulted in more than 1,700 deaths and displaced more than 8 million people. As per world bank’s report damaged and economic losses were more than $30 billion. Hence, Pakistan is very keen and committed to Protection of the Environment and furthering of UN Sustainable Development Goals. Pakistan has taken much more than our fair share of responsibility in this respect. We have planted millions of trees inland and millions of mangroves on our coast for protecting marine environment. Pakistan govt. organisations with active help of IUCN, Mangroves For Future, World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) and other organisations started a campaign for mangroves plantation in 2016 and planted over a ten million plants, 3 million in 2019, 4 million in 2020 and so on. All these combined efforts have shown very encouraging positive results. The mangrove forest cover in the Indus Delta has increased from 86,000 hectares in 2005 to over 130,000 hectares in 2021. Thus we have achieved our UN SDG 13 goal a decade ahead of timeline. We appreciate the efforts of IMO officials and member states for the revision work of IMO GHG Strategy, we assure you of our full support for environment protection and upgradation but at the same time we wish that developed states may hold our hand for technical assistance and above all capacity building of professionals. You will find us holding your hand with good pace for environment protection and decarbonization. We also look forward for zero or lowest possible carbon foot print by our ports and shipping, we have achieved some milestone but the only means of achieving the net zero targets is to ensure that the zero or Net-Zero carbon technologies and fuels are available worldwide and as soon as possible within affordably range of developing, least developed and small Island states. Pakistan is one of the largest ship recycling countries, and Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships is of great importance for all. I am pleased to announce that Islamic Republic of Pakistan has decided to accede to the Hong Kong International Convention and it is my pleasure that on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, I am submitting our Instrument of Accession to this esteemed organization today. Though it is a big challenge for us to be fully compliant with the requirements of this important convention in such a short period but our commitment to environment is bigger than our challenge. We have already started the work in this regard with zest. As part of this effort, we have already and very successfully conducted a 3 days’ seminar and training session under IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP). I am grateful to IMO and its team of professionals in this regard, and I am positive that In shaa Allah, we will accomplish all the required steps at the earliest. Women empowerment and women in Maritime is also our important agenda and our female graduates are entering the maritime sector at all levels. A good number of females are working in maritime ministry, Our Maritime Administration’s most important position, Director General Ports and Shipping is also held by a female colleague and she is one of the leading members of our delegation. Pakistan is committed to not only digitalization of ports but also all segments related to Maritime, our ports are currently establishing electronic port community system. Pakistan government has established Pakistan Single Window (PSW) setup and our Ministry of Maritime Affairs has already created Maritime Single Window for FAL? and trade facilitation which is in Beta testing phase currently. All this and much more is being done with financial constraints and limited resource, but it is testament of commitment on Pakistan’s part as maritime nation. Taking this opportunity, I request IMO and Member states to support us, we are open to suggestions, technical cooperation and more to reap the benefits of blue economy and make our waters and this planet sustainable for our next generations. May I propose and request that as part of IMO’s Regional Presence Scheme, our region may also be considered for Regional Coordinators and Technical Cooperation Office and may I suggest Pakistan to be designated for the purpose. At the end I very warmly welcome the newly elected Secretary General Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco (Republic of Panama) and extend our full support to him and his team. Thank you all.
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