ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates conferred the Order of Independence medal on Pakistan’s Ambassador Moazzam Ahmad Khan during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
President of the UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the award on top Pakistani diplomat “in recognition of his efforts toward the development and strengthening of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries,” Pakistan Embassy in UAE said in a statement.
The medal was presented by UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at a ceremony held at the ministry.
Sheikh Abdullah commended Ambassador Khan for his “meritorious services in enhancing ties between the two countries, and wished him success in his f.uture assignment,” the statement added.
The Pakistani envoy thanked the foreign minister for the honor and expressed his gratitude to the UAE leadership and people for their support and cooperation during his tenure. “He recalled the recent high-level exchanges between the leadership of the two countries, and their shared commitment to take the relationship to the next level,” the UAE Embassy said.
Ambassador Khan “paid tribute to the UAE leadership for its vision and policies that has guided the UAE to emerge as a global model for development, tolerance and co-existence,” the statement read.
Having served in the UAE for almost three years, Khan is now proceeding to Islamabad as Special Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan and the UAE have always enjoyed cordial relations. With the emergence of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration on his country’s political horizon, the friendly bond between the two states has further been strengthened.
While Pakistani nationals based in Dubai and other emirates have contributed significantly to their host country, the UAE has also undertaken important humanitarian work in the South Asian state and helped Islamabad deal with its current account deficit and balance of payments crisis.
Pakistan’s envoy receives ‘Order of Independence’ medal from UAE President
Pakistan’s envoy receives ‘Order of Independence’ medal from UAE President
- The envoy was awarded for his ‘meritorious services’ for enhancing bilateral ties
- The UAE has been doing significant humanitarian work in Pakistan
ADB, Pakistan sign over $300 million agreements to undertake climate resilience initiatives
- Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in weather patterns
- The projects in Sindh and Punjab will restore nature-based coastal defenses and enhance agricultural productivity
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed more than $300 million agreements to undertake two major climate resilience initiatives, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.
The projects include the Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project (SCRP), valued at Rs50.5 billion ($180.5 million), and the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project (PCRLCAMP), totaling Rs34.7 billion ($124 million).
Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns. In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses, while another 1,037 people were killed in floods this year.
The South Asian country is ramping up climate resilience efforts, with support from the ADB and World Bank, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable areas.
“Both sides expressed their commitment to effectively utilize the financing for successful and timely completion of the two initiatives,” the PID said in a statement.
The Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP) will promote integrated water resources and flood risk management, restore nature-based coastal defenses, and strengthen institutional and community capacity for strategic action planning, directly benefiting over 3.8 million people in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts, according to ADB.
The Punjab project will enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience across 30 districts, improving small farmers’ access to climate-smart machinery, introducing circular agriculture practices to reduce residue burning, establishing testing and training facilities, and empowering 15,000 women through skills development and livelihood diversification.
Earlier this month, the ADB also approved $381 million in financing for Pakistan’s Punjab province to modernize agriculture and strengthen education and health services, including concessional loans and grants for farm mechanization, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and nursing sector reforms.
