ISLAMABAD, November 2, 2026: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has stressed that continuity in sustainable development policies, institutional preparedness and long-term strategic planning are essential for countries to navigate growing global uncertainty driven by emerging technologies, climate change, geopolitical tensions and economic challenges.
Addressing the 29th Sustainable Development Conference and 4th Sustainability Investment Expo, organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) at Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad, as chief guest, the minister said rapid technological advancements and the increasing impacts of climate change were transforming economies and societies, requiring countries to adopt proactive and forward-looking strategies.
He said nations had two choices in the face of change: remain apprehensive and suffer its consequences, or develop strategies to turn emerging challenges into opportunities.
Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen technological capacity, Iqbal said the government had established national centres of excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Big Data and Cloud Computing to equip young people with the skills needed to compete in the evolving global economy.
Geopolitical tensions affecting economies
The minister highlighted the growing link between geopolitics and economic stability, observing that conflicts and international rivalries, including the Russia-Ukraine war, were affecting energy markets, food security, international trade and global supply chains.
He said the economic consequences of international conflicts were being felt even in countries far removed from the conflict zones. Global politics, he added, was no longer confined to diplomatic and strategic affairs but was increasingly affecting household budgets and the cost of living.
A conflict thousands of kilometres away could raise fertiliser prices for Pakistani farmers or increase food costs for ordinary households, illustrating the interconnected nature of the global economy, he said.
Iqbal also noted that changing geopolitical and economic alignments were reshaping development priorities. International supply chains were increasingly being reorganised not only around cost and efficiency but also strategic and political considerations.
He called on developing countries to strengthen economic resilience, diversify international partnerships and improve regional connectivity to remain competitive amid these changes.
Debt burden and global financial reforms
Drawing attention to challenges facing the international financial system, the minister said billions of people lived in countries where debt-servicing obligations exceeded public spending on health and education.
He said the growing debt burden was restricting the fiscal space available to developing countries for investment in human development, infrastructure and sustainable economic growth.
Iqbal emphasised that a country’s ability to withstand external shocks depended not only on the scale of international crises but also on its level of preparedness, export diversity and the skills and capabilities of its workforce.
Countries with diversified economies, strong institutions, technological capacity and skilled human resources, he said, were better positioned to withstand global disruptions and turn challenges into opportunities.
He called for proactive economic planning, diversified exports, reforms in global financial governance and stronger multilateral cooperation to protect developing economies from mounting international pressures.
