Pakistan’s envoy elected president of UN Commission on Trade and Development

UNCTAD is an important platform to deliberate on key trade and development issues

Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva, was elected on Monday president of the 11th session of the Commission on Trade and Development, the Foreign Office said.

The commission is one of the key constituents on the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) based in Geneva. It is an important platform to deliberate on key trade and development issues.

The Foreign Office said that Pakistan’s presidency will provide an opportunity to share its experiences and to benefit from international best practices that help advance trade and development goals.

The commission, the statement added, will consider reports on legal and policy aspects of trade, services, commodities, consumer protection and competition within the overall context of sustainable development.

“It will also consider progress in research and analysis, consensus building and technical cooperation and discuss ways to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the areas of trade and development,” the communique read.

“Election to lead the UNCTAD reflects recognition of Pakistan’s active engagement and its key role in the multilateral fora.”