UNDP-ICCI dialogue explores investment-ready projects to drive sustainable development, economic growth
SDGs should be seen as investment opportunities, not just development targets
DNA
ISLAMABAD: President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Sardar Tahir Mehmood has said that Pakistan stands at a critical juncture where the real challenge is to transform development ambitions into investments, and investments into measurable, high-impact projects.
Addressing an interactive session on “UNDP SDGs Investment Projects” at Chamber House, here on Friday, he said Pakistan possesses enormous potential, including a vibrant and young population, but this potential must be connected with capital, technology, expertise and credible investment opportunities to generate sustainable economic growth.
Sardar Tahir Mehmood He emphasized that sustainable prosperity could not be achieved by the public sector alone, as the government creates an enabling environment while development institutions provide knowledge and frameworks, whereas the private sector brings capital, innovation, efficiency and scale.
He stressed that public-private partnerships should therefore be viewed as a mechanism for national transformation. He welcomed the participation of UNDP representatives and Nutshell, saying Pakistan needed “investable ideas moving into implementation” rather than more ideas remaining on paper.
Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Sohail Aman, Chief Executive Strategic Engagements, Nutshell, said the business community was effectively engaged in a continuous struggle to sustain economic activity amid challenges including high energy costs, taxation and other structural constraints. He said development of human resources and human capital must remain at the heart of Pakistan’s economic strategy.
He noted that the initiative sought to bridge the gap between government, development institutions and the private sector by identifying projects.
He said chambers of commerce were a vital link between the public and private sectors because they understood the problems, potential and investment appetite of businesses and could help connect project owners with suitable investors. He urged the business community to provide feedback on the proposed projects and help identify investors, both domestic and international, interested in opportunities that combine commercial returns with development and climate impact.
He added that the initiative was not intended to be a one-off event, but aimed to establish a continuing pipeline through which SDG-oriented public-private partnership projects could be developed, refined and presented to investors.
Ms. Naghma-e-Tehniat, Head of Development Policy Unit, UNDP Pakistan, said UNDP had been working since 2020 to take Pakistani projects to international investment platforms and promote Pakistan as an investment destination.
She said UNDP, in collaboration with Nutshell, was working to identify and showcase such projects internationally while creating greater awareness that impact investment was both possible and commercially viable in Pakistan.
She urged Pakistani investors and the business community to provide feedback so that projects could be further refined according to market realities and investor requirements.
In his detailed presentation, Sajeed Aslam, Project Lead Consultant, Nutshell, said Nutshell was working with UNDP Pakistan on the National SDGs Investment Project to evaluate and promote public-private partnership projects for potential investors.
He said the shortlisted portfolio had been assessed on the basis of developmental impact, bankability and commercial viability and comprised more than 40 federal and provincial projects across 11 sectors, including Transport & Mobility, Health & Social, Agri & Food, Water & Sanitation, Energy & Climate, Industry & Trade, Urban & Real Estate, Tourism & Heritage, Technology, Education & Skills, and Waste Management. Ms. Shahbano Khan, SDGs Specialist, Development Policy Unit, UNDP, also highlighted the core objectives and investment potential of the initiative.
In his vote of thanks, ICCI Executive Member Zulqurnain Abbasi expressed confidence that the interactive session would help the business community better understand emerging investment opportunities and build stronger linkages with development institutions and project stakeholders.
He appreciated UNDP and Nutshell for bringing investment-ready SDG projects to the business community and said effective collaboration among government, development partners and the private sector could convert Pakistan’s vast potential into sustainable economic opportunities, employment and inclusive national development.
ICCI executive member Waseem Chadhry effectively moderated the session. Those attended also included former SVP Khalid Chaudhry, ICCI senior members Akhtar Abbasi, Sajid Iqbal, Ms. Fareena Mazhar and Nahyan Mirza from Nutshell and many more.
