UNGA session: PM to arrive in New York tonight

LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will reach New York from London on Monday (tonight) to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The prime minister is expected to arrive at 7PM local time in New York. He will be welcomed at the JFK International Airport by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sardar Masood Khan, and Consul-General of New York Ayesha Ali.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will not be present to welcome the prime minister. According to reports, the foreign minister will be giving an online interview to the New York Times during the prime minister’s arrival.

Diplomatic sources consider it against diplomatic etiquette. The foreign minister has been in the spotlight for arriving before the prime minister and has received widespread protocol and media coverage.

Bilawal arrived in Washington D.C. on a foreign airline on Sunday after he reportedly missed a flight from Samarkand, Uzbekistan where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit with the prime minister.

During his stay in New York, the prime minister will have important bilateral meetings with the leaders of other countries. PM Shehbaz Sharif will attend a reception hosted by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres tomorrow and will also meet French President Emmanuel Macron.

The prime minister will also hold meetings with Austrian Chancellor, President of Spain, and President of the European Union (EU) Council Charles Michael. He will also participate in the Global Food Security Summit to be hosted by president of Senegal and African Union.

On Wednesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif will meet Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva and President World Bank David Mills.

He will hold bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Seyed Ibrahim Raisi. He will host a luncheon in honour of the President of Turkiye and his wife.

Other engagements include meetings with Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, President of the United Nations General Assembly Csaba Korösi, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai. He will also meet the leaders of China, Japan and Luxembourg.

PM Shehbaz Shari will address the high-level debate of the UNGA on Friday, September 23. He will also give interviews to various renowned American media persons.

Also Read

PM to highlight climate change during UNGA address on Sept 23

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate in the high-level debate of...