PARIS, Dec 12 (APP): Ambassador of Pakistan to France Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Friday criticising the growing inability of states to constructively engage with each other, underlined the importance of “free flow of ideas” as a foundation not just for democracies but also for international diplomacy.
The ambassador, in her remarks at a panel discussion on “Free Flow of ideas and advancing Human Rights: Lessons and Perspectives at UN80” in connection with the International Human Rights Day, expressed concern at the evolution in international diplomacy as spaces for open dialogue and intellectual exchange become restricted.
The event was jointly organized by UNESCO and the European Union. Director-General UNESCO, Dr Khaled El-Enany, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, headlined the event.
The ambassador said that there was thus a growing inability of states to constructively engage with each other to develop common ground to find solutions to global problems. This dynamic is contributing to a crisis for multilateralism and for international diplomacy, she added.
The ambassador also spoke about the opportunities and challenges arising out of the UN80 process and its implications for the Human Rights Pillar of the United Nations. Terming the process as an opportunity to modernize and streamline the UN human rights machinery, she cautioned that the process should not lead to a weakening of the human rights mechanisms and procedures and dilution of the progress made in human rights.
Other participants in the panel discussion included Anne Savinel-Barras, President of Amnesty International France; Professor Jan Wouters of International Law at Institute for International Law, KU Leuven; and Thibaut Bruttin – Directeur général de Reporters sans Frontières (RSF).