UNITED NATIONS (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif makes his debut on world stage when addresses the 77session of UN General Assembly on Friday in which he is set to highlight the massive devastation left behind by the deadly climate-induced floods, and appeal for international help to deal with the catastrophe.
The Pakistani leader is the 12th speaker in the 193-member Assembly’s high-level debate on its 4th day in which some 140 world leader are participating, It is the first in-person session of the Assembly following the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his series of meetings with his counterparts from around the world, Prime Minister Sharif has been briefing them on the floods that have inundated one-third of Pakistan, inflicting huge damage to human lives, infrastructure, livestock and crops. “Pakistan is passing through difficult times and the havoc wreaked by floods, which is obvious before the world, needs serious attention,” he said in his video statement on Wednesday.
Some world leaders have responded by making dramatic appeals to the international community to come forward and help Pakistan. Opening the debate on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who made a solidarity visit to Pakistan earlier this month, told world leaders that Pakistan is “drowning not only in floodwater, but in debt.”
On Wednesday, the UN chief went on to say at a private meeting with world leaders on climate change, “We have all seen the appalling images from Pakistan, and this is just at 1.2 degrees of global warming and we are heading for over 3 degrees.” And on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden told the General Assembly,, “Pakistan is still underwater needs help.”
On his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, expressing his condolences, said, “we would like to call out to the international community to help the people of Pakistan as they’re going through this most unfortunate and painful time.” Similarly, many other world leaders have drawn attention to the floods in Pakistan.
Following Guterres’ trip to Pakistan, the UN issued a $160 million flash appeal for help Pakistan cope with initial phases of the calamity, but so far it is not yet fully funded. In his address, the Prime Minister will also underscore the need for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, one of the oldest items on the agenda of the Security Council, and reaffirm Pakistan’s principled stand on the issue.
This year’s UNGA is taking place against a backdrop of complex, interconnected crises. Conflict, climate change, and COVID-19 have exacerbated inequality, poverty, and hunger across the planet, particularly among the most vulnerable populations.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates here on Thursday.
During the meeting held on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, they discussed matters of mutual interest.
PM acknowledges empathy of Angelina Jolie for Pakistan’s millions of flood victims: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday acknowledged the “empathy and compassion” of United Nations special envoy Angelina Jolie, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan in solidarity with the flood-affected people.
“Pakistan thanks Angelina Jolie, a special UN envoy, and other unsung heroes for becoming the voice of millions of people whose lives and livelihoods have been destroyed by raging floodwater,” he said in a tweet. The prime minister said, “We will forever remember their empathy and compassion for suffering humanity.”
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie visited the flood-hit areas and urged the international community to do more as millions of people are in trouble in the flood-hit areas of Pakistan. During her visit to the National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) late Wednesday, Jolie said that she has never seen anything like this disaster before. Besides Jolie, renowned Islamic scholar Mufti Menk and Turkish actor Celal Al also visited the flood-affected areas of Pakistan and extended assistance to the families who suffered the devastation.
Shehbaz to meet PMs of Japan, Malaysia, Belgium: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the third day of the High-Level General Debate of the 77th Session of UN General Assembly, is scheduled to hold several sideline meetings with the world leaders and heads of organisations.
PM Sharif will hold bilateral meetings with Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, and Prime Minister of Malaysia Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Before leaving for the UN Headquarters, Bill Gates, the co-founder of Melinda Bill Gates will call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The prime minister will have a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres at the UN Headquarters. PM Sharif will visit the photo exhibition on floods in Pakistan, organised at the UN Secretariat lobby by Pakistan’s mission in New York. Later in the after noon, the prime minister will be interviewed by Ms Edith Lederer of the Associated Press-AP TV.