Pakistan’s Ambassador to France, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, on Wednesday underscored the country’s endeavors to tackle the critical issues of marine resource degradation and ecosystem challenges. She affirmed Pakistan’s call for ambitious global action to safeguard oceans for forthcoming generations.
Addressing the Third United Nations Ocean Conference held in France, Ambassador Baloch detailed Pakistan’s initiatives aimed at confronting the degradation of marine resources and ecosystems.
Furthermore, she emphasized the crucial role of international collaboration, stating, “underlining that isolated national efforts alone would not suffice to conserve and sustainably use the marine and coastal resources.”
Ambassador Baloch advocated for the development of global solutions to protect the oceans through enhanced means of implementation, specifically citing financing, technology transfer, and capacity building.
She also reiterated the fundamental importance of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the collective fight against climate change.
Ambassador Baloch conveyed Pakistan’s intention to become a signatory to the BBNJ Agreement [Agreement on the Conservation and and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction].
Moreover, the ambassador articulated Pakistan’s concern regarding the serious implications for the Arabian Sea’s ecosystem resulting from unilateral measures taken by a neighboring country. These actions, she noted, have disrupted long-standing cooperative water-sharing agreements and arrangements.
Calling for strict adherence to international law and treaty obligations, she urged the global community to condemn these attempts to “weaponize water.”
