PM Shehbaz to address 193-member UN General Assembly on Sep 27

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to address the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 27 to reaffirm Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism and support for the role of the United Nations in fostering global peace, security, and prosperity.

The prime minister, who departed here for New York on Saturday, wrote on his X timeline that he looked forward to a busy week full of engagements to take up global issues, promoting peace, development, and climate action, besides representing Pakistan’s perspective to the world, advocating country’s interests and strengthening international partnerships.

According to the curtain raiser issued by the Foreign Office on Sunday, the prime minister, in his address to the 193-member UNGA, would emphasize the importance of addressing long-standing issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council, including the question of Palestine and the Jammu & Kashmir dispute.

He will underline the importance of addressing the inequities in international economic relations and reforming the international financial architecture, besides urging the international community to take decisive measures in addressing climate change and countering the rising tide of Islamophobia.

“The UN General Assembly’s High-Level segment offers a crucial platform for Pakistan to highlight its perspectives on important issues of regional and international importance. He will highlight Pakistan’s priority to place people at the heart of the domestic and global development agenda.

He will also express Pakistan’s commitment, as an incoming member of the UN Security Council for the year 2025-26, to work with all UN Member States to uphold the UN Charter, preventing conflict, fostering peace, and promoting global prosperity,” according to the Foreign Office statement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz will attend several high-level meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA session including the “High-Level Meeting on Existential Threat posed by Sea-level Rise,” and the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on “Leadership for Peace”.

He will also engage with a group of world leaders to discuss measures needed at the global level to advance the sustainable development agenda.

The bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including the UN Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly are also on the agenda of the prime minister’s hectic visit.