Pakistan has emphasized sovereign control over natural wealth, particularly standing in solidarity with African nations, as the UN Security Council discussed how the illicit exploitation fuels armed conflicts and explored building a regulatory framework to ensure resource wealth benefits local communities.
Pakistan urges UN action to protect local communities from global scramble for minerals
By Iftikhar Ali
UNITED NATIONS, Jul 14 (APP): Pakistan has emphasized sovereign control over natural wealth, particularly standing in solidarity with African nations, as the UN Security Council discussed how the illicit exploitation fuels armed conflicts and explored building a regulatory framework to ensure resource wealth benefits local communities.
“International cooperation should strengthen national capacities, while fully respecting national ownership and development priorities,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, told the 15-member Council, which met under Arria-Formula format named after a former Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN.
Pakistan, he said, emphasized that the governance of natural resources must remain firmly anchored in the UN Charter and international law.
Organized by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the session addressed the normative gaps linking natural resource exploitation with global security and peace amid the accelerating global scramble for critical minerals.
Arria-Formula meetings are informal that enable Security Council members to have a frank and private exchange of views on relevant subjects.
In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy stressed that natural resources should drive sustainable development and shared prosperity rather than coercion or geopolitical competition.
Pakistan also advocated for the effective use of existing UN tools, including sanctions and monitoring mechanisms, to counter the illicit exploitation of resources that fuels armed conflict.
Noting the historical contest for resources, he said the growing demand for critical minerals, often driven by the energy transition, digital transformation and advanced manufacturing, has created new geopolitical and geo-economic pressures.
“If not managed responsibly, competition over strategic natural resources can create new risks and vulnerabilities for international peace and security.”
Ambassador Asim Ahmad also emphasized the importance of shared water resources as a cornerstone of regional peace and sustainable development.
Expressing Pakistan’s deep concern over India’s unilateral decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, he pointed out that the move was a violation of international law and the Treaty’s provisions.
“The international community must urge India to return to full compliance with the Treaty, which remains valid and in force, as affirmed by the August 2025 Award of the Court of Arbitration.’
On minerals, Pakistan also underscored that any further normative approaches must emerge through inclusive, member-driven processes rather than top-down mandates
In conclusion, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, “The objective should not only be to secure supply chains, but ensuring that natural resources generate shared prosperity for the countries and communities that possess them.”
