Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived in New York on Wednesday for his first three-day official visit to the United States since taking office in order to attend a global food security meeting.
FM Bilawal is in the United States at the invitation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to attend today’s ministerial meeting on the “Global Food Security Call to Action” at the United Nations (Wednesday).
According to the FO, Bilawal will have other important engagements on the sidelines as well, including a bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken today.
Bilawal arrived in New York on a commercial flight and was greeted by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan.
To greet Bilawal, Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Aamir Khan, NY Consul-General Ayesha Ali, and other officers from Pakistan’s permanent mission to the UN and Embassy were present.
At a UN Security Council meeting, the FM will take part in an open discussion. He is also expected to meet with the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council.
The meetings in New York are expected to go a long way toward reestablishing relations with the United States. During the Imran Khan administration, the ties hit rock bottom. When Blinken called Bilawal to congratulate him on his new position, he extended an invitation to attend the New York meetings.
According to previous reports, the New York meetings will bring together a regionally diverse group of countries, including those most affected by food insecurity and those in a position to take action to address it. Ministers will be invited to speak about humanitarian needs as well as long-term development efforts necessary to save lives and build resilience for the future.
In the two meetings, Bilawal will highlight Pakistan’s perspective and policy priorities.
The Foreign Office stated, “Pakistan will continue to play a proactive role in supporting international efforts to advance the shared objectives of a peaceful and stable world free of conflict, poverty, and hunger.”
