UNITED NATIONS: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the top UN leadership here and discussed India’s G20 Presidency, regional issues and global challenges, sustainable development goals and Security Council reforms.
A day before he addresses the General Debate at the ongoing high-level United Nations General Assembly session, Jaishankar met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and President of the 78th session of the General Assembly Dennis Francis on Monday at the headquarters of the world organisation.
He also met the United Nations Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner.
Jaishankar said it was a “pleasure” to meet Guterres and that he discussed “how India’s G20 Presidency has contributed to strengthening” the UN’s sustainable development agenda.
“We have coordinated closely in this regard over the last year,” Jaishankar wrote on X, adding that he appreciated Guterres’ strong commitment to reforming international financial institutions.
In a readout of the meeting issued by the UN spokesperson’s office, Guterres “expressed appreciation for India’s cooperation with the UN and its leadership of the G20”.
Guterres and Jaishankar also “discussed the situations in Afghanistan, Myanmar and other global challenges”, according to the readout.
The UN secretary-general attended the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10 held under India’s Presidency of the grouping.
Before his meeting with Guterres, Jaishankar met Francis and welcomed his appreciation of the outcomes of India’s G20 Presidency.
“Confident that it would contribute to the UN General Assembly’s discourse and deliberations. Agreed on the importance of reforming multilateralism and giving the Global South its due on crucial issues of our times,” Jaishankar said.
In a post on ‘X’, Francis said he was “delighted” to meet Jaishankar and congratulated him on India’s “successful G20 Chairmanship, especially on India’s unwavering advocacy in support of the Global South”.