"Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, At Third Policy Dialogue between the Group of Friends of the GDI and the UN Task Force on Leveraging Partnerships towards the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda on “Accelerating SDG Implementation in the Final Five Years” (July 1, 2026) **** H.E Sun Le, ASG Navid Hanif, Task Force colleagues Pakistan thanks the Permanent Mission of China for convening this third Policy Dialogue, and ASG Hanif and the Task Force Secretariat for their continued work in advancing this portfolio. We are especially pleased to welcome the participation of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) today. CIDCA has been a valued and reliable partner to Pakistan and many other countries, and we look forward to deepening this cooperation through the Task Force process. 2. Marking its fifth anniversary, Pakistan reaffirms its full support for the GDI as a platform for solidarity, South-South cooperation, and the delivery of concrete results for developing countries. Dialogue to implementation, expansion of partnerships are the key words here. 3. Since our second Dialogue in April, we have seen encouraging movement towards clustering and prioritization of the Task Force portfolio. The shift in focus towards implementation and financing is both timely and necessary, particularly against a backdrop of constrained fiscal space. 4. On priority initiatives, Pakistan reiterates the three clusters we flagged in the last policy dialogue and would like to offer specific, forward-looking proposals for follow-up: 5. First, on industrial cooperation: Pakistan welcomes the continued development of two initiatives under this Task Force – specifically GDI Industrialization, Digital Economy and Connectivity Track under UCSSIC China Phase 4 as well as the BRI Industrial Cooperation component. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase-II, anchored in special economic zones and agro-industrial processing, remains a ready vehicle for both. We would welcome a direct scoping exchange on how to scale up cooperation in this regard. 6. Second, on urban resilience: we continue to see strong relevance in UN-Habitat's United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities (UNITAC) tools, in particular the Urban Recovery Planning System (URPS) for post-disaster reconstruction planning and the BEAM tool for mapping and spatial analysis of informal settlements, both directly applicable to Pakistan's recurring flood-recovery needs. We would welcome ideas for piloting these tools in additional countries. 7. Third, on poverty and food security: Pakistan stands ready to share its experience with other members of the Group of Friends, including through our national social protection initiatives such as the Benazir Income Support Programme, and to explore with interested partners how such approaches could be scaled up or adapted. 8. On financing, we would welcome further clarity from Task Force entities on what financing options could be mobilized in support of the three clusters outlined above. 9. On follow-up modalities, Pakistan proposes that the Secretariat, in coordination with the Group of Friends, maintain a simple tracking matrix linking expressed Member State interest to specific initiatives and focal points. This would help ensure that today's discussion translates into concrete bilateral or plurilateral engagement, including with CIDCA on the proposals above. Colleagues, 10. Pakistan remains a steadfast partner of the GDI and of this Task Force. As we mark five years of the Initiative, we look forward to moving, together with China, the Group of Friends and CIDCA, from dialogue to delivery. I thank you. ************ @Chinamission2un"