UN secretary general to arrange donors’ conference soon: PM

LONDON: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres had assured him that they would be soon arranging a donors conference for the rehabilitation of the flood affected people of Pakistan.

The prime minister chaired a meeting via videolink to review relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas of the country. The meeting was attended by federal ministers and relevant authorities, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. During the meeting, the prime minister said that he had held important meetings with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other world leaders in which he apprised them of the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan and the government’s efforts at provision of relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.

He also mentioned his telephonic conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud. The prime minister said that he also apprised the world leadership of Pakistan’s viewpoint over the climatic changes and the destruction it brought upon the country.

They had expressed their deep sympathies and offered condolences over the losses in Pakistan and assured that they would fully support the country with sincerity, he added. He said that during his meeting with Bill Gates, Chairman of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, they discussed seeking help from World Food Programme for the supply of infants and children’s food in the flood-affected areas.

The prime minister expressed the confidence that with the international community’s help and with the efforts of national institutions, they would soon be out of the difficulties. Relevant authorities of the National Flood Response Coordination Center gave a briefing to the prime minister about the relief and rehabilitation work in the flood affected areas.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday said he and his team, during meetings with a wide array of global leaders during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and United Nations General Assembly sessions, made an effort to present Pakistan as a credible partner of the international community.

In tweets on social media platform Twitter, he said, “In our meetings with a wide array of global leaders & other stakeholders during SCO & UNGA, my team and I made an earnest effort to present Pakistan as a credible partner ready to do business with the world. The damage inflicted on our foreign policy needed a healing touch.”

“Presenting Pakistan’s case at both the international forums was the result of excellent team work. I particularly appreciate Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb & Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman for their hard work & assistance,” he added.