Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Strategic Focus at the UNGA Session

Report by: Pakistan Khappay

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in New York for a five-day visit to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Accompanied by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, the Prime Minister is set to engage in a series of high-level meetings and discussions.

During his stay, the Prime Minister will attend a reception hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the heads of member states, where he will have informal meetings with various world leaders. He will also participate in the opening ceremony of the 2024 UNGA session and meet with the President of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, to discuss the promotion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The 79th session of the UNGA is centered around the theme “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations.” This year’s discussions will cover global governance, geopolitical competition, worldwide conflicts, climate change, economic issues, and new technologies like artificial intelligence.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s focus during the UNGA session includes several critical areas. He will emphasize the need for resolving the Kashmir and Palestine conflicts, highlighting their importance on the UN Security Council’s agenda. The Prime Minister will advocate for reforms in the global financial architecture to address economic inequalities and call for decisive international action to combat climate change, stressing the urgency of this global issue. Addressing the rising tide of Islamophobia will be another key point in his speech, along with advancing the sustainable development agenda and placing people at the center of both domestic and global development efforts.

In addition to his speech, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate in several high-level meetings, including a ‘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 global leaders to discuss these issues and promote international collaboration.

The Prime Minister’s strategic focus at the UNGA session underscores Pakistan’s commitment to addressing global challenges and fostering international cooperation for a more sustainable and equitable future.