RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz Wednesday said achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is possible only through mutual cooperation among the federal, provincial and local governments as well as community organisations.

He expressed these views while speaking at a three-day international conference organised by the United Cities and Local Government Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) in collaboration with the local council associations of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The conference is supported by the German Development Cooperation and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The deputy chairman said a parliamentary committee has been constituted to implement SDGs. “The federal government is striving to achieve all 17 SDGs, some of which would be implemented soon,” said Aziz, adding that approval to achieve Sustainable Development Goals was acquired by the National Economic Council two months back. Mutual cooperation is more important than money. The provinces have also set up designated units for SDGs’ implementation. Achieving economic goals is part of the federal government’s SDGs’ implementation initiatives, he added.

Out of 17 targets, 10 including availability of drinking water, education and health would be possible through local governments. He further said the children of the poor should be given education to eradicate poverty.

For the resolution of many problems, cooperation matters more as compared to money.

Punjab Finance Minister Aisha Ghaus Pasha said the provincial governments are earmarking Rs 361 billion for local governments annually. The provincial governments are allocating 42 percent of their resources for the local governments. All will have to work for achieving sustainable development. She said that the local governments should utilize allocated money judiciously; otherwise, it will be of no use. She further said that allocations for local governments have been increased but results are not satisfactory.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Minister Inayatullah Khan said war on terror contributed to urbanization and by 2030 fifty percent area will be urbanized. Urbanization is a challenge as well as opportunity if tapped. He said that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has released Rs50 billion during two years to local governments and by end-June it would be around Rs70 billion against Rs9 billion during 2001 to 2014.

The minister further said the challenge of urbanization should be responded by providing funds to local government system. There is a need to focus on the capacity building of local governments.

“We shall accelerate this journey and reach the destination by synergizing our role as public representatives with our responsibilities to our voters as enshrined in the SDGs,” said a joint statement issued by mayors, chairmen, chairpersons and nazims of different cities throughout the country on the second day of international conference ‘Think Globally, Act Locally – SDGs’ Implementation through Local Governments.’

“The path to a true people-centric, environment-friendly and participatory national life lies through the local governments…” said the joint statement read out by Chairman District Council Sheikhupura and Member Local Councils Associations of Punjab (LCAP) Rana Ahmad Atteeq Anwer.

President Local Councils Associations of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (LCAKP) and District Nazim Mardan Himayatullah Mayar said the local governments in Pakistan are still in their infancy and therefore “we can learn significantly from international experiences.”

“Together we can carve out a strategy for us to accelerate SDGs’ implementation at the local level.

We hope that by the end of this conference, we will collectively be able to contribute effectively to 2030 Agenda and forge partnerships and cooperation to achieve our future vision.”

Dr Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi Secretary General UCLG ASPAC, said the current development challenges facing the countries in the region include inequality, unemployment, poverty, climate change and rapid urbanization, and these require the local governments to play a more developmental role for policymaking, she said.

Country Director UNDP Ignacio Irtaza said the global mandate of local governments, irrespective of region and country, is to serve the people locally.

But this cannot be done unless the local governments are provided with the necessary financial and human resources as well as the instruments and capacities to discharge their duty effectively.

Later the delegates submitted their related recommendations to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who chaired the closing session.

On the sidelines, sessions were held to discuss the importance of SDGs implementation through local governments and map out ways and means accordingly, separately chaired by Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Local Government Minister Inayatullah Khan among other figures.

More than 60 delegates from over a dozen countries worldwide including mayors of the cities of England, Russia, Turkey, China, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal and Afghanistan, directors of United Nations agencies, envoys of European Union and other regional and international cooperation agencies attended the conference.