to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and eradicate poverty worldwide. Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) 2025 Hearing at the United Nations on the topic “International Trade for the SDGs: The Challenge of Poverty Eradication through Export-Led Growth,” Pakistani parliamentarian Muhammad Riaz Fatyana underscored the critical role of trade in fostering economic prosperity and sustainable development. In his remarks, Mr. Fatyana stated, “As public representatives, we have a responsibility to improve the lives of our people by ending poverty in all its forms, eliminating hunger, ensuring access to quality education and healthcare, addressing climate change, and strengthening institutions. However, these goals can only be realized through international trade and export-led growth.” He highlighted the systemic inequities and biases in the current trade system and stressed the role of parliaments in addressing these issues. He proposed the following measures: • Reforming the WTO, particularly its dispute settlement system, to resolve the ongoing Appellate Body crisis and ensure fair trade practices. • Revising investment agreements to limit the excessive influence of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms while incorporating transparency clauses to protect national interests. • Reducing trade barriers, including lobbying for the removal of non-tariff barriers that disproportionately affect exports from developing countries. Mr. Fatyana also acknowledged the challenges that developing countries face in pursuing traditional export-led growth, such as market volatility, increasing global competition, and rising protectionism. To overcome these obstacles, he outlined the following strategies: • Supporting export diversification by shifting towards value-added exports to enhance competitiveness in global markets. • Upgrading infrastructure with a focus on climate resilience, including investments in ports, digital networks, and logistics hubs to facilitate smoother trade operations. • Promoting regional integration to strengthen economic cooperation among neighboring countries. • Reducing foreign exchange pressures by encouraging alternative trade mechanisms such as the barter system and trade in local currencies to minimize dependency on volatile exchange rates. Concluding his statement, Mr. Fatyana reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working with international partners to promote an equitable and sustainable global trade system.