President Zardari highlights marine cooperation at Indian Ocean Forum and highlighted the need for boosting blue economy.
President Asif Ali Zardari virtually participated in the 3rd China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Monday, a platform that Beijing describes as fostering collaboration between governments, financial institutions, and businesses to enhance regional integration and advance the blue economy.
The event, held from December 15 to 17, features over 200 delegates from 20 countries and international organizations. Themed “Future of the Blue Indian Ocean Development, Practices of the Global South,” it focuses on promoting sustainable development for the Global South and small island developing nations.
China views the forum as a step toward strengthening development cooperation for the Global South, advancing the Global Development Initiative, and supporting sustainable growth in the blue economy, particularly for Indian Ocean nations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to prioritizing the blue economy, while President Zardari reiterated the nation’s dedication to fostering regional marine cooperation, ensuring peace, and addressing issues such as climate change, pollution, and ecosystem degradation.
Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s initiatives to bolster the blue economy, including the formulation of the National Maritime Policy, the launch of the Living Indus Initiative to restore the ecological health of the Indus River, and projects targeting sustainable fisheries and marine conservation.
He also underscored the transformative potential of Gwadar Port, developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as a hub for regional connectivity and maritime economic growth.
Zardari praised Pakistan’s collaboration with China under the Belt and Road Initiative, lauding its contributions to knowledge exchange, technological advancements, and marine conservation. He commended China’s Global Development Initiative and the Forum’s focus on sustainability, capacity building, and inclusion of island nations, aligning with Pakistan’s vision of transnational cooperation and environmental stewardship.
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