In a talk to Fulbright Scholars, Ambassador Munir Akram Highlights Global Security and Development Challenges.
Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has expressed deep concern over the grave challenges currently facing the international order.
Speaking to a group of Fulbright scholars at the Pakistan Mission today, Ambassador Munir Akram highlighted the proliferation of regional and global conflicts, including those in Gaza, Ukraine, Africa, South Asia, and the South China Sea, as stark indicators of the erosion of the foundations of international peace and security.
The visiting Fulbright scholars who belonged to different countries including Pakistan are studying for their Master’s and PhD degrees in different American universities.
Ambassador Akram emphasized that the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter are vital for ensuring global peace and stability. However, he warned that persistent violations of these principles have exposed the world to unprecedented risks. He pointed out that the ongoing conflicts and the failure of multilateral systems to effectively address these issues underscore the urgent need for a renewed commitment to the core tenets of international cooperation.
Discussing the United Nations Secretary-General’s initiative, the Summit of the Future (SOTF), Ambassador Akram noted that it aims to build a new global consensus for multilateral action to tackle emerging challenges. However, he cautioned that the UN’s multilateral system faces inherent structural problems, such as the use of veto power, which have hindered its ability to deliver on its mandate.
Ambassador Akram identified a range of interconnected global challenges, including climate change, the deepening technological divide, unequal access to development finance for developing countries, and the looming threat of nuclear conflict. He warned that these challenges are darkening the global security landscape and require immediate and coordinated international action.
Focusing on South Asia, Ambassador Akram reiterated that the region remains a nuclear flashpoint due to the unresolved dispute over Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He underscored the need for a just and lasting resolution to this issue to ensure regional stability.
Ambassador Akram also highlighted the devastating impact of climate change, pointing to recent climate-related events such as super floods, extreme heatwaves, and cyclones as evidence of the growing threat. He noted that despite their negligible contribution to global emissions, developing countries like Pakistan are the worst affected by the consequences of climate change, which are largely driven by the actions of industrialized nations.
He called on developed countries to recognize the global nature of climate threats and to demonstrate greater political will in addressing this challenge.
The Ambassador criticized the insufficient financial commitments made by developed countries for climate adaptation and mitigation. He argued that the provision of $100 billion in funding falls far short of the $1 trillion needed to adequately address the crisis.
Ambassador Akram expressed concern over the rising poverty and underdevelopment in many developing countries. He revealed that approximately 150 million people have recently fallen back into poverty.
While he acknowledged China’s success in lifting 800 million people out of poverty, he pointed out that other developing nations have been severely impacted by global supply chain disruptions, rising food and fuel prices, and crippling debt burdens. He emphasized that 65% of the resources in the developing world are currently spent on debt repayments, at the expense of critical development needs.
On the subject of technology, Ambassador Akram observed that while technological advancements, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI), are progressing at an astonishing pace, they are also exacerbating the global knowledge divide. He warned that technology has become a new arena for competition among major powers, often to the detriment of developing nations.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Akram urged the youth to engage more actively with global issues and to propose innovative solutions as they represent the future of international leadership. He also provided the scholars with an overview of the evolution of the international system through various phases.
The session concluded with a dynamic Q&A session, where the scholars engaged with Ambassador Akram on a range of topics related to global peace, security, and development.
Sub Editor : Ghufran