Kyiv, JUN 9 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday Russia has pulled out only 11,000 out of 105,000 border troops.

Briefing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the security situation in the east and near Ukraine during a phone talk, Zelensky said only part of the Russian troops and heavy weapons has been withdrawn from Ukraine’s border.

“Russia has almost not withdrawn its troops. Out of 105,000 Russian servicemen, only 11,000 went back,” Zelensky said, stressing the importance of maintaining international pressure on Russia.

For his part, Trudeau reassured Zelensky of Canada’s “unwavering support,” adding that the two countries “remain great friends.”

The two leaders also discussed ways to support Ukraine’s efforts toward NATO membership and coordination of efforts between Ukraine and Canada in the case of the downing of the PS752 flight by Iran.

In April, Kyiv accused Moscow of gathering a large group of armed forces on its border, voicing concern over possible annexation of the Donbas region. In response, Russia said it was concerned by the upcoming NATO exercises in Ukraine and the gathering of the Ukrainian armed forces in Donbas.

DNA

ISLAMABAD:The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, the Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan, World Habitat Awards and the United Nations Habitat Programme, co-organized an international virtual seminar on Ecosystem Restoration for Quality of Life.The seminarwas attended by representatives from the Ministry of Climate Change, the United Nations,INGOs,Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) agencies andpartners, donor agencies, academia, media and community organizations. The virtual seminar, held on 8 June 2021,was part of a series of official events celebrating World Environment Day (WED).

Recognizing Pakistan’s global leadership in advancing ecosystem conservation and protection, it was selected to host this year’s WED together with the United Nations Environment Programme. This year’sWED theme was restoring the earth’s damaged ecosystemsto go from exploiting nature to healing it. WED also launched the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems around the world, for the benefit of people and nature.

In his message,Special Assistant to the Prime Minster on Climate Change, Malik Amin Aslam, shared that “Although our contribution to global GHG emissions is less than 1%, Pakistan’s people, biodiversity and economy areseverely impacted by climate change, with more frequentdisasters. We are working to counteract these trends through ambitious initiatives such as the honorable Prime Minister’s Clean Green Pakistan Programme and the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme to restore the ecosystem and electric vehicle policy.The government is also working on developing the first-ever green building codes for the country. I am glad to see development institutions like theAga Khan Development Network and UN-Habitat contributing to these efforts for a greener Pakistan”.

During the seminar, speakers from UN-Habitat, Aga Khan University, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, and Aga Khan Agency for Habitat shared their experiences in ecosystem restoration and improving quality of life for communities living in mountainous areas to coastal belts and urban centres of Pakistan and globally.

In his opening remarks, Rafael Tuts, Director Programme Division, UN-Habitat,said that “We have been exploiting and destroying our planet’s ecosystems, and the pandemic has also shown how disastrous the consequences of ecosystem loss can be. We urgently need to reverse our unsustainable lifestyles and how we design, plan and manage cities. UN-Habitat in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change carried out a study on “Policy Guidelines for Development of Green Building Code”, based on which ‘Green Building Guidelines were developed for the Prime Minister 5 Million Naya Pakistan Housing Programme’. The adoption of Green building guidelines will ensure GHG emission reduction, resource efficiency in consumption of building materials, water and energy use and will result in greening the building construction in Pakistan”.

Mountain ecosystems are particularly rich in terms of biodiversity, culture, and critical natural resources such as water. Onno Ruhl, General Manager of the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, explained, “mountains and mountain communities are on the frontlines of climate change, facing the threat of melting glaciers, unpredictable weather, and flash floods. AKAH is working to restore these fragile ecosystems and build resilient habitats for these communities to thrive.We combine data, community engagement, and world-class planning to help communities understand and adapt to the risks they face to plan for a better future. To prevent further degradation and rebuild natural capital AKAH promotes nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction and sustainable infrastructure and service delivery.”

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat, said: “What makes AKAH’s work exceptional is that it’s not just responding to the effects of the climate emergency but is being proactive in protecting people from its effects – through using technology and the knowledge of the communities themselves. It provides communities with the knowledge of where and howto livein safety in a changing world. This has to be the best way for communities vulnerable to disasters and the effects of climate changeto protect themselves. The potential for this approach to be adapted and used in similar areas in Pakistan and elsewhere is absolutely huge.”

Environmental stewardship has long been a core strategic priority for the AKDN cutting across the work of all its agencies across Asia and Africa. Hafiz Sherali, President, Aga Khan Council for Pakistan, explained that “In many of the areas where AKDN works, climate change compounds the risk ofnatural disasters resulting in the loss of lives and livelihoods. The AKDN is committed to protecting and restoring ecosystems while improving the quality of lives of the millions of people we serve. We take a holistic approach to mitigatedisaster risk and proactively protect the environment.”

Nawab Ali Khan, CEO, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat Pakistan added, “AKAHis honoredto celebrate World Environment Day with the government of Pakistan, vulnerable communities and our national and international partners. Decades of experience has guided us that only by working together can we hope to overcome the environmental challenges we face in Pakistan and globally.”  He further added, “We are proud to partner with the government on its ambitious efforts to plant 50 million trees in Gilgit-Baltistan, build sustainable water and sanitation systems and develop nation-wide green building guidelines.”

By sharing practical examples, celebrating successes, and calling attention to the challenges, the seminar aimed to initiate a dialogue to put the world on track for a sustainable future.

DNA

BEIJING, June 9: Suki Kinari Hydropower builder witnesses joint Build and Road construction, a CPEC role model, reports China Economic Net.

As one of the biggest private-sector hydropower developments in Pakistan and one of the highest priority early harvest projects within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it is of great significance and is expected to be put into operation in 2022.

Suki Kinari Hydro Private Limited (SK Hydro), in which China Gezhouba Group holds a majority stake of 98%, is developing the project with an estimated investment of $1.96bn.

“I have witnessed the joint efforts of the Chinese and Pakistani employees in Suki Kinari Hydro Private Limited (SK Hydro). Relevant government departments of the two sides have forged ahead with strong cooperation. I think the project is an accurate portrayal of the joint Belt and Road construction, also the best witness of the historical friendship between China and Pakistan.” said Danish Haseeb Khan, deputy general manager of SK Hydro.

Danish has a deep connection with the SK project. When he joined the project in 2005, Mott MacDonald Ltd was conducting a bankable feasibility study on the project. Danish was then a member of the supervisory team and was responsible for submitting the electricity prices at the feasibility study stage and EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) phase to Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). 

In addition, he led the SK Hydro’s team to negotiate with Pakistani government agencies on franchise agreements (power purchase agreement, water use agreement, and execution agreement), and to discuss and finalize the financing plan with relevant banks (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Export-Import Bank of China).

The Chinese and Pakistani teams of SK Hydro have been working together on this project since 2015. In the process of pushing the financial close, they encountered many difficulties. 

Danish told China Economic Herald that when the Pakistani team completed the land acquisition and registration documents, it was very close to the deadline required by the government for the financial close. 

“Chinese lending institutions could only make the loan after the successful registration of our Pakistani team, so I was very worried at the time that the process could not be completed before the financing was closed. 

However, I was amazed by the ‘Chinese speed’ of our Chinese team and relevant lenders who worked tirelessly to follow up all the procedures promptly to achieve the financial close on time.” said Danish.

As far as he can remember, SK Hydro has been adhering to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the local residents throughout the construction period of the project. 

The CPEC is not only about construction projects, but also for the well-being of the people in the areas where those projects are located, Danish said that he always remembered those words from one of his Chinese colleagues.

SK Hydro employees donate daily supplies to local residents during the pandemic.

The year 2020 has been a most extraordinary one. In the trying times of the sudden onslaught of COVID-19, the Chinese and Pakistani people reached out to each other. In Pakistan, the raging pandemic has led to the closure of schools and businesses. 

In order to ensure the smooth construction of the project, SK Hydro has worked hard to overcome numerous difficulties including communication and traffic control.

“Despite the difficulties, we still hold in our hearts the interests and concerns of local residents. In March 2020, we distributed food, masks, protective clothing, etc. to needy families in the areas where the hydropower stations are located to help them overcome difficulties. 

In November 2020, we carried out an activity themed ‘Caring for the Flower of Chin-Pakistan Friendship’, providing over 100 students from 10 schools stationery and warm clothes,” Danish said.

“Every year, we cooperate with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Forestry Bureau and Energy Bureau to plant trees. In early March of this year, we planted 1,500 saplings at the hydropower station to maintain the ecological environment on the Kaghan river. 

During the pandemic, we provided nearly 5,000 jobs for local residents in Pakistan. We are proud that our efforts have been highly praised by local authorities and residents,” Danish added.

SK Hydro employees donate daily supplies to local residents during the pandemic.