India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, held meetings with the top leadership of the United Nations, addressing a range of topics including India's G20 Presidency, regional concerns, global challenges, sustainable development goals, and Security Council reforms.
In the lead-up to his address at the General Debate of the ongoing high-level United Nations General Assembly session, Jaishankar engaged with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, at the United Nations headquarters.
Jaishankar also had discussions with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Achim Steiner.
During the meeting with Guterres, Jaishankar conveyed his pleasure at the encounter and emphasized the role of India's G20 Presidency in bolstering the United Nations' sustainable development agenda. He highlighted the close coordination between India and the UN in this regard, extending his appreciation to Guterres for his strong commitment to reforming international financial institutions.
In a statement from the UN spokesperson's office, Guterres expressed gratitude for India's collaboration with the UN and its leadership within the G20. The discussions between Guterres and Jaishankar also touched upon the situations in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and other global challenges.
Guterres participated in the G20 Leaders' Summit held in New Delhi on September 9 and 10 during India's Presidency of the grouping.
Ahead of his meeting with Guterres, Jaishankar met with Dennis Francis and expressed appreciation for Francis's positive assessment of the outcomes of India's G20 Presidency. They concurred on the significance of reforming multilateralism and ensuring that the Global South plays a substantial role in critical contemporary issues.
Francis commended India's successful G20 Chairmanship, particularly India's unwavering advocacy for the Global South. Their discussions also encompassed priorities and key issues for the 78th UNGA session, including UNSC reforms and building on the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals Summit conducted during the high-level week before the Summit of the Future scheduled for 2024.
Additionally, Jaishankar conveyed his gratitude to Francis for his participation in the special 'India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development' side event held by the minister in New York on Saturday.
In his meeting with Achim Steiner, Jaishankar acknowledged the UNDP's involvement in India's G20 Presidency initiatives and proposed potential collaboration to expand Indian success stories for the global benefit.
Furthermore, Jaishankar met with the Foreign Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and expressed his appreciation for the advancing bilateral cooperation between the two nations. He underscored the value of their regular exchange of views on regional and global matters.
Jaishankar concluded by highlighting his warm meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Madagascar, Yvette Sylla. Their discussions covered topics such as development partnerships, millet and rice production, digital delivery, and defense cooperation.
