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Developed, developing nations facing interlinked challenges: Aziz
NEW DELHI: Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz has said both the developed countries and the developing economies are facing interlinked challenges and opportunities.
Addressing the first plenary session of Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers meeting here on Monday‚ he said the developing economies have to leap-frog their efforts to achieve greater success in the future.
The developed economies can help developing countries by sharing their experience and technology and through capacity building of institutions, he said.
Sartaj Aziz said one of the most important development challenges of the future is that of the employment‚ specially the employment of younger workers.
He said Pakistan is pursuing reforms which include: improved governance; better economic management; investing in human capital; bringing the poor and vulnerable into the mainstream of development and; focusing on empowerment of women‚ minorities‚ youth and the disabled.
These are aimed to create 1.5 million new jobs a year through accelerated growth from 4 at present to over 6% in the next 5 years. But our efforts will not go very far‚ if the global environment does not become more favorable.
The developed world is focused on sustained and eco-friendly economic growth; the developing world is striving to promote productive capacity employment and decent work. The common denominator for both the regions‚ however‚ is inclusive‚ sustainable and equitable economic growth at all levels.
He hoped that this forum should be able to provide substantive support to the UN System and its mechanisms engaged in the implementation of Rio+20 outcomes and evolution of sustainable goals for the next 25 years.
He expressed the confidence that the high level dialogue at ASEM will help to harmonize our collective response towards reforming the international financial system.
Courtesy www.geo.tv