External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, met top leaders of the United Nations on Thursday. Philemon Yang, the President of the General Assembly, and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed appreciation for India's global role.
In their meeting, Guterres "expressed appreciation for India's cooperation with the UN," his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric noted. They discussed a number of topics-the Summit of the Future and its follow-through, climate change, Artificial Intelligence, as well as developments in geopolitics. The Summit was earlier this week and adopted the Pact for the Future, paving the way for the UN to set out in working together to collectively tackle looming crises worldwide.
Yang has noted on X that he "appreciated India's role in advancing the interests of the Global South". He also added, "We discussed the priorities and key issues for #UNGA79 (current General Assembly session), and building on the outcomes of the Summit of the Future."
EAM Jaishankar posted on X that he "assured him of India's full support to his vision of Unity in Diversity, Peace, Human Sustainability and Dignity for everyone everywhere."
During the sidelines of the General Assembly's high-level meeting, the Minister also met several other leaders. On X, he noted that he thanked Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Tim Kabba for that country's leadership on reformed multilateralism, particularly given that Sierra Leone had been the President of the Security Council last month and brought Security Council reform to the fore.
EAM Jaishankar pointed out that he "with Belarus Foreign Minister Makshim Ryzhenkov discussed possibilities in health, education, technology and deepening economic linkages." His talks with Romania's Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu inter alia enabled them to "take stock of our growing bilateral engagements in tourism, defence and mobility" and exchange perspectives on Ukraine.
He said it was a "good first meeting" with Maria Stenergard, during which they had discussed "deepening our bilateral relationship in fields of sustainable development, investments, and skilled workers' mobility." They exchanged views on Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific.
With Jordan Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi, whose "discussions revolved around the ongoing situation in West Asia," he met with Foreign Ministers Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, Seyed Abbas Araghchi of Iran, Albert Shingiro of Burundi, and Kamina J Smith of Jamaica.
