I am pleased to know that on the occasion of the World Environment Day 2006, Foundation for ‘Progress’ in collaboration and cooperation with the Department of Environment & Alternate Energy, Government of Sindh and the UNEP is holding this National Seminar on ‘Drylands Rehabilitation – Poverty Alleviation’. The seminar, in my opinion, is continuation of our concerted efforts to meet the paramount global challenge of poverty alleviation, which is also among the top priority, on the international agenda for the 21st Century, as set out in the United Nations eight Millennium Development Goals. 

Desertification is a land degradation problem of major importance in the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of the world, including Pakistan. It has major economic, social and environmental concerns. Poverty, unsustainable land management and climate change are turning drylands into deserts, and desertification in turn exacerbates and leads to poverty.

Drylands degradation is a serious obstacle to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. Greening of the drylands has a major impact on poverty alleviation and in the provision of a better quality of life to the poor people inhabiting these areas. What happens to the world’s environment matters to every one of us, rich or poor, north or south. We need to tackle environmental problems at both national and international levels.

At the national level, poor people are often the ones who suffer most from environmental damage and because vital resources such as land have been badly managed. In poor rural areas, where people have to compete for scarce resources to make a living, the poorest get squeezed out leaving them no choice but to exploit precious soils and forests.

Today Pakistan is in a unique position in its fight against poverty. If we are to win this fight we must support the implementation of policies which promote sustainable development and encourage the creation of sustainable livelihoods for poor people, promote human development and conserve the environment. The challenge for us is to mobilize all our resources to influence and support the efforts of poverty eradication, at national and global levels.

I hope the experts and delegates through their wisdom and intellect, dialogue and discussion, shall succeed in evolving and devising national and globally effective recommendations towards drylands rehabilitation for poverty alleviation.

May Allah Almighty be with you in your noble endeavour.

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