Ishaq Dar arrives in New York to attend UNSC’s high level meeting

NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister (FM), Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, flew into New York to participate in the high-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on multilateralism and global governance set for Tuesday.

He was received at John F. Kennedy International Airport by Ambassador Munir Akram, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN; Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, alternative permanent representative; Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh; Ambassador Usman Jadoon, deputy permanent representative to the UN; Consul General in New York, Aamer Ahmed Atozai, and other officials.

The 15-member Council meeting will be chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as China holds the Council’s rotating presidency for the month of February.

The deliberations come at a time of growing concerns about multilateralism, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning that the international community is failing to respond to crises, which is damaging multilateralism. He has called for states to recommit to the UN Charter and to work together to address global challenges.

Pakistan has welcomed this timely initiative by China, which underscores the critical importance of multilateralism in addressing today’s complex global challenges.

In his remarks, DPM/FM Dar will reaffirm Pakistan’s strong commitment to the principles of multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations in promoting international peace, security, and sustainable development.

He will also highlight Pakistan’s priorities as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, emphasizing the importance of dialogue, cooperation, and inclusive global governance.

Pakistan remains a steadfast supporter of multilateralism and stands ready to contribute constructively to the collective efforts for global peace, security, and development, the foreign office said in a statement issued in Islamabad.

On the sidelines of the UNSC meeting, the DPM/FM is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts, as well as senior UN officials.

He will also give interviews to media and hold a press conference for US-based Pakistani journalists.

Pakistan was elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2025-2026 term in June 2024 with 182 out of 193 votes, and officially began its two-year tenure on January 1, 2025.