UN Secretary-General arrives in Pakistan for ‘solidarity visit’
United Nations (UNSG) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Pakistan on Friday for a two-day solidarity visit amid the dire flooding situation in the country.
He was received by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar at Islamabad International Airport.
During his visit, António Guterres will travel to areas of the country affected by floods. “I have come to Pakistan to express my deep solidarity with the people of Pakistan following the devastating floods here,” the secretary-general said in a tweet.
“I call for overwhelming support from the international community as Pakistan responds to this climate catastrophe,” he added. According to Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the UNSG will also hold a joint press conference with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the afternoon.
In a statement released the day before, the State Department said that during the visit, Guterres “will meet Pakistani leadership and senior officials to exchange views on the national and global response to this climate change catastrophe.”
“The Secretary General will go to the areas most affected by the floods. He will communicate with displaced families and first responders on the ground and oversee UN humanitarian relief work in support of the government’s rescue and relief efforts for millions of affected people, “he added.
UN Secretary-General arrives in Pakistan for ‘solidarity visit’
He also actively supported the United Nations’ $160 million “Flash Appeal” to fund Pakistan’s Flood Response Plan. The visit of the senior UN diplomat also aims to highlight the importance of sustained international support to Pakistan during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase and to build resilience to future climate shocks.
