France comes to the aid of flood-stricken Pakistan with an international meeting

France has offered to help Pakistan’s economy recover and its rebuilding following devastating floods by hosting an international conference this year as a gesture of goodwill.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and French President Emmanuel Macron met outside the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) 77th Session in New York.

The two leaders discussed enlisting international assistance to help Pakistan recover and restructure its economy in the wake of the climate change-related floods in addition to exchanging opinions on how to improve bilateral ties.

Before the end of the year, France will host an international conference to bring together the necessary development and financial partners, with the goal of assisting in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Pakistan’s flood-affected areas and, with the aid of climate-resilient reconstruction-related financing, accelerating the switch to renewable energy.

Alongside the UNGA, the premier met with Pedro Sanchez, the president of Spain.PM Shehbaz emphasised the necessity of strengthening relationships between Pakistan and Spain on a number of fronts, with a focus on inter-parliamentary connections as well as security and defence cooperation.

The Spanish president urged bilateral cooperation in the energy industry and ties between the people.

The Spanish government’s support and solidarity in the aftermath of Pakistan’s severe floods caused by climate change were acknowledged by the prime minister, who also praised Spain for providing emergency aid to those in need. He described the damage that the floods had done to important infrastructure, homes, animals, and crops.

The prime minister emphasised that Pakistan was one of the nations that was most susceptible to the effects of climate change. He hoped that the international community will step forward and actively take part in the repair and reconstruction phase to assist lessen the negative consequences of the floods.

The prime minister emphasised Pakistan’s support for an Afghanistan that is inclusive, peaceful, stable, economic, and linked in the context of the region. He continued by pointing out the dire humanitarian circumstances and significant economic difficulties Afghanistan was facing.

He emphasised that the international community’s continued, effective, and meaningful involvement with Afghanistan was crucial for safeguarding the welfare of the Afghan people and advancing shared objectives of peace, security, and prosperity in the nation. President Sanchez was invited by the PM to visit Pakistan whenever it would be convenient for him. Shehbaz Sharif and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer discussed regional concerns and assessed bilateral relations in a separate meeting.

The massive destruction brought on by Pakistan’s record floods due to climate change was underlined by the prime minister, along with the government’s initiatives to deal with the enormous problem. He commended Austria for its unwavering support of the GSP+ programme and emphasised that the win-win agreement had produced fruitful outcomes for both parties.

In a meeting with Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, the prime minister once again expressed his thanks to the Iranian government and people for their assistance and support given to Pakistan in the wake of devastating floods. The two leaders decided during the meeting to expand and deepen bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas, including business and commerce, energy and connectivity, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people ties.

The supreme leader’s strong and consistent support for the legitimate uprising of the citizens of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir was expressed by the prime minister as being greatly cherished by Pakistan (IIOJ&K). Shehbaz Sharif was present for the start of the high-level general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 77th session (UNGA77), which was held in the General Assembly Hall on Tuesday.

The prime minister arrived at the UN headquarters to take part in a welcoming reception for leaders of state and government attending the UNGA session that was hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The prime minister spoke with Jacinda Ardern, the leader of New Zealand, at the event. Prior to that, on Monday night, the prime minister flew into New York to head Pakistan’s delegation to the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, which is being attended by 140 international leaders.

On September 23, during a high-level debate, the prime minister is scheduled to address the 193 members of the assembly. It starts on Tuesday and runs through September 26.