Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa on arrived in Islamabad on Friday on a five-day visit.
According to details, the UNGA president visited Foreign Office after her arrival and held meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
This is the first visit of Espinosa to the Asia-Pacific region since assuming her office and the UNGA and first visit of the UNGA president in eight years.
During her five-day visit, Maria Fernanda Espinosa will meet President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and representatives of the UN and of civil society.
She is also scheduled to meet members of Women Parliamentary Caucus, chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme and visit Pakistan’s Peacekeeping Training Center.
Espinosa visit to Pakistan was announced by her spokesperson Monica Grayley during a briefing at UN Headquarters in New York last week.
The spokesperson said that the president of the UN General will visit Pakistan from January18 to 22 at the invitation of the government of Pakistan.
“This will be the first visit of the 193-member Assembly’s president to the Asia-Pacific region since she took office in September 2018, she said.
The spokesperson added that the UNGA president is looking forward to strengthening the ties between Pakistan and the UN, promoting multilateralism and continuing her work with the country on the priorities for the 73rd Session of the General Assembly.
On Saturday, Pakistan permanent envoy to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi said that Pakistani leadership looks forward to have wide-ranging discussions with UN General Assembly President Madam Espinosa on global and regional issues during her upcoming visit to Islamabad.
In a tweet after meeting President of the UN General Assembly in New York, Lodhi said: “Met today with President of the UN General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinosa to finalise details of her visit next week to Pakistan. It will be the first visit by any PGA to Pakistan in eight years. Also Ms Espinosa’s first visit to any country in Asia since her assumption of office”.