UN allocates slot for PM to address General Assembly

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations has allocated slot for address of Prime Minister of Pakistan in upcoming annual session of the General Assembly, and he will be provided the opportunity on 27th of September to address the World Body two days after commencement of high echelon general debate.

Fair amount of enthusiasm is reportedly found in the corridors of the United Nations and Pakistani Diaspora about the address after finding the name of country’s Prime Minister in the provisional list of speakers.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has yet to make up his mind for addressing the global gathering since he had announced not to undertake any foreign trip for three months. The announcement was about the bilateral trips. The diplomats posted in Islamabad have reported to their respective capitals about the vagueness of the Foreign Office in this regard as they have been asking time and again about the possibility of turning up of Khan in the UNGA. The sources reminded The News here on Saturday that the UNGA is the only international gathering of the year of its kind and an invaluable opportunity to project Pakistan and its core policy interests and meet world leaders gathered in New York.

This year, 105 heads of state are expected to attend the General Assembly. The sources have pointed out that the prime minister can meet with the leaders of several countries within two days and not to have made those visits thus saving public funds. The visit will expand the scope of Pakistan’s foreign policy and establish the country as a key international player.

The general debate will open on September 25 and run through October 1. The US President, Donald Trump, who had delivered his first address to global leaders from the General Assembly hall’s iconic green podium last year, will address the high-level session on the morning of September 25. The US is traditionally the second speaker on the opening day of the general debate, after Brazil.

Imran Khan is expected to make his debut in New York for the high-level session. Interestingly, Indian Prime Minister Nerandra Modi had attended the high-level UN Sustainable Development Summit ahead of the general debate in 2014 when world leaders had adopted the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (ASD), an intergovernmental set of aspiration goals with 169 targets. Diplomatic observers are of the opinion that it is an early opportunity for the prime minister Pakistan to make a mark on the international stage since the World Body has planned number of events of global interest on the margins of the assembly.

They are of the view that when leaders take over, they always make it a point to come in the first year as Chinese President Jinping Xi, Russian President Putin and Indian Modi did that. Prime Minister Khan needs not come next year. But this year is important as there is heightened international interest in him. The UN has planned to hold Nelson Mandela Peace summit, discussion on Action for Peacekeeping.

Yet another discussion will take place on the brinks of the UNGA regarding fight to end tuberculosis, and it has been convened by UNGA President. The sources reminded that president of the UNGA has announced to host commemoration and promotion of the International Day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons where Pakistan’s point of view would be heard with lot of interest. The world leaders will undertake comprehensive review of the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on the day that has been allocated for the address of the prime minister of Pakistan. The 73rd UNGA will open on 18 September. The first day of the high-level general debate will be 25 September and is scheduled to last for nine working days.

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President-elect of the session, has announced that the theme of the general debate will be ‘making the United Nations relevant to all people: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.’ On Monday, 24 September, the UNGA will hold a high level plenary meeting on global peace in honour of the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, known as the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit. The plenary will adopt a political declaration negotiated by member states. A number of events will take place in parallel to the opening of the session under the banners of Global Goals Week 2018 and climate Week NYC 2018, the UN sources added.