UNGA president to hold talks on key issues with Alvi, Imran

new york — UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa will have extensive talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and other Pakistani leaders on global and regional issues during her forthcoming visit to Pakistan, beginning January 18, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said.

“Our leadership looks forward to having wide-ranging discussions with Madam Espinosa on global and regional issues,” the envoy said after a meeting with the 193-member Assembly president to finalize her five-day visit.

In the course of talks is Islamabad, she added, the General Assembly president will be briefed on the situation in the Indian occupied Kashmir.

Ms. Espinosa’s visit to Pakistan, which will be her first to the AsiaPacific region, was announced by her spokesperson Monica Grayley in New York on Friday.

“The President of the General Assembly looks forward to strengthening the ties between Pakistan and the UN, promoting multilateralism and continuing her work with Pakistan on the priorities for the 73rd session of the General Assembly,” the spokesperson told reporters.

On her part, the Pakistani envoy pointed out that this will be the first visit by any president of the General Assembly to Pakistan in over 8 years — the last one was in 2010.

“It is also the first visit by the senior UN leadership to Pakistan since the advent of the government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan,” ambassador Lodhi said.

During her five-day visit, the president, who is also foreign minister of Ecuador, will, besides the prime minister, meet President Dr Arif Alvi and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, as well as representatives of the UN and of civil society. — APP