The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, the government of Pakistan and the Aga Khan Foundation have signed a letter of understanding (LoU) to collaborate on the livelihood security of the people living in rural areas of Pakistan including coastal areas of Sindh and rural areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials including Romina Khurshid Alam, coordinator to the prime minister on climate change, Secretary Aisha Humera Chaudhry and from Aga Khan Foundation, Pakistan, Amin Feerasta, Chairman of National Committee AKF, Akhtar Iqbal, Chief Executive Officer of AKF, Laila Naz Taj, Director, Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Pakistan Communications, Irshad Khan Abbasi, Programme Advisor, Rural Development, Civil Society and Habitat and Naveed Sethi, Chief Financial Officer, AKF.
“Pakistan faces significant climate-related challenges, particularly in the coastal areas of Sindh and the mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral (GBC),” stated a press release issued by the foundation.
These areas are grappling with extreme weather events, glacial melting, rise in sea-level, agricultural vulnerabilities, and water scarcity, all of which threaten the livelihoods and well-being of communities.
The ministry acknowledged the need for targeted action to mitigate these impacts and support the socio-economic development of these regions.
Recognising the urgent need to address the growing challenges of climate change in Pakistan’s vulnerable regions, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Aga Khan Foundation a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance resilience and promote livelihood security in rural and underserved areas.
Through this agreement, the two entities will be able to strengthen cooperation on sustainable socio-economic development and address the challenges related to climate change.
The partnership will focus on programmes to advance climate-related initiatives, promote knowledge sharing, coordination, research, joint activities, capacity building, policy support and joint resource mobilisation. It will also create important synergies and opportunities through closer relations.
Speaking on the occasion, Romina Khurshid highlighted the critical role of this partnership in achieving Pakistan’s climate and development objectives. “This Letter of Understanding represents a significant stride toward addressing climate vulnerabilities and fostering sustainable livelihoods for communities most affected by climate change. Through this collaboration, the government’s efforts to promote inclusive, climate-resilient socio-economic development will be further bolstered,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Amin Feerasta, Chairman of National Committee AKF, Pakistan, noted, “On behalf of Aga Khan Foundation and broader Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), we thank the Ministry of Climate Change for this partnership which will build synergies to address the most pressing challenge of the time.”
“Environment and Climate is a core strategic priority and crosscutting theme for Aga Khan Foundation and all AKDN agencies. Our environment and climate-related efforts are guided by the principle of responsible stewardship of the environment, ensuring that the Earth can sustainably support future generations,” he added.
Iqbal in his concluding remarks thanked the ministry and shared, “This partnership will open significant opportunities to collaborate on addressing climate change through joint efforts focused on mitigation and adaptation measures. This includes providing technical support, assisting in international climate processes, developing national and sub-national strategies, and implementing community-based projects.”
