Ms Ruth Mukwana, Head of Section, Asia-Pacific, Caribbean, Latin America, UNOCHA, New York today called on Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani here at Parliament House and discussed various challenges and means to tackle them.
The Chairman Senate commended the role and work of UNOCHA Pakistan for the betterment of the people of Balochistan and assisting Pakistan during calamities and emergencies. As the Senate of Pakistan is the House of Federation, there
are 23 Hon'ble members from Balochistan who may be engaged in terms of consultation, he stressed.
“Issues like Climate change, poverty alleviation and refugees are of utmost importance and need to be addressed swiftly. Local, regional and international support will help solve these problems”, Sanjrani stated.
A joint committee was formed with WHO and also desire for a joint committee, in collaboration with PIPS, to be framed in the same pattern with UNOCHA that will help in organizing seminars and workshops, Sadiq Sanjrani informed.
“Water scarcity, food security and Climate Change are major challenges the World is confronting and need to be addressed at the earliest, adding that being a supreme institution, Parliament and through effective legislation these challenges can be tackled”, he underlined.
Sanjrani said that Joint efforts will have to be made to deal with challenges overshadowing the world and that the Parliament in Pakistan strives to overcome poverty, tackle the threat of climate change and other challenges.
“UNOCHA role in crisis management and emergency is very crucial”, he underscored.
Ms Ruth Mukwana apprised the Chairman Senate about the working and procedures of UNOCHA and its humanitarian and relief efforts. The meeting agreed on continuous coordination along with taking into consideration the suggestions that came out in the meeting.
The meeting also called for engaging officers of the Senate's Secretariat on workshops/capacity-building sessions in UNOCHA's focused areas, including Climate change policy, designs, M & E, and future perspectives, Disaster management, Effects of Covid-19 on multiple sectors including economy, social safety nets, and poverty and finding ways to tackle the challenges, Evidence-based policymaking, legislative drafting, and Research on selected topics.
The meeting also agreed for holding exchange programs/bilateral visits of lawmakers to and from other parliaments.
Secretary Senate, Muhammad Qasim Samad Khan and senior officials were present at the meeting.