ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has stressed the need for collective efforts and international cooperation to address challenges posed by climate change.

He noted that climate change is not only affecting economies but also directly influencing the lives of ordinary people, making global solidarity and practical steps indispensable.

He expressed these views while meeting an eight-member students’ delegation from Italy’s Duopassi Foundation at the Parliament House on Thursday.

The Senate chairman emphasised that Pakistan’s greatest asset is its youth, with nearly 60 per cent of the population comprising young people. He stressed that the younger generation and institutions must take the lead in addressing contemporary challenges. He also highlighted the role of overseas Pakistanis in strengthening the national economy and underscored the importance of modern technology to find solutions to pressing issues.

Italian team’s leader says international funding is essential to address global challenges

Highlighting Pakistan’s potential, Mr Gilani said that there are vast opportunities for investment in the country in health and education. He said that efforts to improve healthcare facilities and literacy rates had been undertaken in the past and continued to this day.

Speaking on the occasion, the CEO of the Duopassi Foundation, Kinz ul Eman, said that her organisation is working in health, education, pharmaceuticals, and climate change sectors, and it has established partnerships with 17 international universities.

She said that consultations were ongoing with a US-based company to address climate change challenges. The Foundation has also initiated projects to combat dengue by eliminating its larvae, setting a target of eradicating dengue within the next 15 years.

She emphasised that international funding is essential to address global challenges and called on developed countries to play their role in this regard. She further said that a global caucus has been established to focus on health, education and climate change.

The Senate chairman said that Pakistan’s Senate committees are also actively engaged in these sectors. The Standing Committees on Health, Education, Finance, and Commerce are not only legislating but also taking practical measures, he said. Gilani assured the delegation that the Duopassi Foundation could work closely with these parliamentary committees, and the Senate would extend full cooperation in this regard.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Libya’s sovereign fund, the Libya African Investment Company (LAFICO) also met Mr Gilani. Led by Mr Jehad Jamal Al-Buragh, the team comprised Tariq Mahmood, Mr Basheer B. Omar Matoug and Aamir Zareef Khan.

Speaking to members of the Libyan delegation, Mr Gilani underlined the need for strengthened ties through joint investments and Economic Cooperation with Libya’s Sovereign Fund.

Mr Jehad Jamal Al-Buragh appreciated Mr Gilani’s interest in the activities of his Foundation, noting that it reflected the importance Pakistan attaches to bilateral economic relations. He reaffirmed that LAFICO remains strongly focused on Pakistan and it is actively exploring new avenues of growth, and it is committed to synergising investments between the two countries.

Published in Dawn, August 22th, 2025