ISLAMABAD – United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa arrived in Pakistan on Friday for a five-day visit of the country.
This is Espinosa’s first official trip to any country in Asia since assuming office last year in September. The UNGA president met Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Foreign Office.
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In the course of her talks with the Pakistani leadership, Espinosa will be briefed on the deteriorating situation in Indian occupied Kashmir.
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The UNGA president is expected to meet President Dr Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and representatives of the UN and civil society. Before visiting the country, Espinosa said that she was looking forward to strengthening the ties between Pakistan and the UN.
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Before departing for Islamabad, the 193-member Assembly president said that Pakistan plays an “important role in strengthening multilateralism and to contributing to (UN) peacekeeping operations.”
Espinosa said she 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.
She thanked the Pakistan government for the invitation to visit the country.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/unga-president-lauds-pakistans-role-in-strengthening-multilateralism-peacekeeping/
Espinosa, 54, is only the fourth female President of the UN General Assembly in its 73-year history.
Apart from official engagements, she will also meet members of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and visit Pakistan’s Peacekeeping Training Center. she will also address members of academia, think tanks and students.
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Espinosa has more than 20 years of multilateral experience in international negotiations, peace, security, defence, disarmament, human rights, indigenous peoples, gender equality, sustainable development, environment, biodiversity, climate change and multilateral cooperation. She has served Ecuador as Minister of Foreign Affairs (twice), Minister of National Defence, and Coordinating Minister of Natural and Cultural Heritage.
In those capacities she coordinated the Sectorial Council on Foreign Policy and Promotion, which includes the Ministries of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Foreign Trade, and the Environment. Espinosa, also served as Ecuador’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and was Chair of the Group of 77 and China until January 2018.
