UNITED NATIONS – Polling the highest number of votes, Pakistan wasre-elected on Tuesday to a key body of the U.N. Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC), a feat that Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said was a recognition ofIslamabad’s positive contribution to the work of the world body.
In secret balloting in the 54-member ECOSOC, the economic arm of the U.N.,Pakistan secured 48 votes to retain its seat on 18-member Commission onNarcotic Drugs for a term beginning on 1 January 2020 and expiring on 31December 2023.
“We are humbled by the support we received from all regions of the world,”the Pakistani envoy told APP after the election.
“Pakistan ‘s strong showing in this election is an indication of theconfidence of the international community in our country and its role andrecord in multilateral bodies,” Ambassador Lodhi added.
Pakistan has served the commission, which was established in 1946,continuously since 2008, assisting the United Nations in supervising theapplication of international drug control treaties.It also made substantive contributions during negotiations on the draftoutcome document of the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on theWorld Drug Problem.
Read Top Stories
In 2017, the Commission at its 60th anniversary Session, adopted byconsensus, Pakistan’s resolution entitled Strengthening InternationalCooperation to assist the States most affected by the illicit transit ofdrugs, especially developing countries, based on the principle of commonand shared responsibility.
Pakistan also hosted a high-level expert group conference on the theme ofPreventing Drug Abuse in Educational Setting: Fostering regionalcooperation and Partnership in Islamabad from 11 – 13 February 2019 inwhich experts from Afghanistan, Irann, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participated.
