Pakistan’s PM arrives in NY to participate in the high-level general debate of UNGA77

Faheem Mian

New York: Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif arrived at the United Nations Headquarters to attend the reception given by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, in honor of the heads of state and government participating in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The premier has arrived in New York to participate in the High-Level General Debate of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA77), scheduled from 20 to 26 September 2022 at UN HQs, New York, USA.

According to a statement issued by the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif will spend a busy day in New York today.

The Prime Minister will participate in the opening session of the high-level discussion of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Besides this, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with H.E Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France;  H.E Mr. Karl Nehammer, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria; H.E Mr. Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon, President of Spain: and H.E Mr. Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will visit The Times Centre for an interview with the New York Time’s Editorial Board.

In the evening, the Prime Minister will be called on by Mr. John Kerry, US Special Envoy for Climate Change.

The Prime Minister was received at John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, New York by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Washington Masood Khan and other senior officers.

Meanwhile APP added: The prime minister is set to address the 193-member Assembly during its high-level debate on September 23.

The debate opens Tuesday and ends on Sept. 26

The prime minister flew into New York from London where he attended the final rites of Queen Elizabeth II.

On his arrival at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport , he was received by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Washington, Masood Khan, Consul General in New York, Ayesha Ali and other senior officials.

On September 20, the prime minister would attend a reception to be hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

On the same day, he would also meet French President Emmanuel Macron, the Austrian chancellor and the Spanish president.

A meeting with President of the European Union Council Charles Michel and participation in Global Food Security Summit to be hosted by President of Senegal and the African Union is also on the agenda of the prime minister’s visit.

On September 21, he would meet Managing Director of International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva and President of World Bank David Malpass, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Besides meeting with the UNGA president, Csaba Korosi, the prime minister would also attend a dinner reception to be hosted by US President Joe Biden.

Prime Minister Sharif will also host a luncheon reception in honour of Turkish president and his spouse, besides meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

Meetings with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the UN chief, Chinese President Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida are also part of the prime minister’s engagements.

He would also meet Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel and Malaysian PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob on the same day, besides interacting with international media outlets.