UN body makes Umar Farooq Zahoor ambassador

LONDON/DUBAI: The Inter-governmental Institution for the Use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition (IIMSAM), an autonomous inter-governmental observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, has appointed UAE based Pakistani businessman Umar Farooq as a Goodwill Ambassador to promote Spirulina and advance the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in the fight against global malnutrition.

“Umar Farooq has been named as Pro Bono Ambassador at Large within the Secretary General’s office,” according to a letter from Remigio Maradona, MSA, the Permanent Secretary General. 

This position is designed to bolster IIMSAM’s efforts in the fight against malnutrition. In its letter to Umar Farooq, IIMSAM states that Umar will help combat malnutrition by managing the global free distribution of Spirulina, focusing on underserved areas, especially in Pakistan, in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2020-2030. IIMSAM functions as an independent intergovernmental observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, a role granted by ECOSOC Resolution 2003. 

The organisation is pivotal in addressing global malnutrition by promoting and distributing Spirulina, a highly nutritious micro-alga. Some of the other prominent personalities appointed recently as IIMSAM’s goodwill ambassadors are: HRH Sheikha Roda Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Moaza Obaid Suhail Al Maktoum, Sheikh Juma Bin Juma Al Maktoum and Princess Basma Bin Talal. Last month, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the Hilal-e-Imtiaz for Umar Farooq for bringing over $400 million in direct foreign investment to Pakistan in the last 18 months. 

This investment has been directed towards infrastructure, ports, and logistics and its understood that projects worth over $2 billion in various fields, including energy, distribution, agriculture, IT, logistics, and real estate are currently underway. Recently, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea awarded Zahoor the Medal of Honour for bringing in over $55 million in direct foreign investment to the country. Earlier this year, Zahoor surrendered his title of the Ambassador-at-Large for the Republic of Liberia after serving in the role for five years. The Republic of Liberia appreciated Zahoor’s services while accepting his resignation.