NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in New York on Monday night to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in which some 140 world leaders are expected to take part.
The prime minister is set to address the 193-member Assembly during its high-level debate on September 23. The debate opens on Tuesday and ends on September 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.
Read more: PM Shehbaz to address 77th UNGA session on September 23
The prime minister would attend a reception to be hosted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on September 20. On the same day, he would also meet French President Emmanuel Macron, the Austrian chancellor and the Spanish president.
A meeting with European Union Council President Charles Michel, and participation in the Global Food Security Summit which would be hosted by the Senegal president and the African Union is also on the agenda of the prime minister’s visit.
On September 21, he would meet International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Read more: PM Shehbaz condoles with King Charles over Queen Elizabeth’s death
Besides a 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 the Turkish president and his spouse, besides meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
Meetings with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the UN chief, Chinese president and premier 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.
