ISLAMABAD – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to arrive in Pakistan on an official visit tomorrow (Tuesday).
During his visit, he will have meetings in Islamabad with senior government officials, including with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar. He will also meet with President Asif Ali Zardari.
The Secretary-General was last in Pakistan in 2022, when he visited regions impacted by the devastating floods. This time, he will again visit the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), where he will see firsthand the progress Pakistan has made in strengthening its preparedness and resilience since the floods.
In Islamabad, the Secretary-General will visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, otherwise known as UNMOGIP.
The visit will also be an opportunity for the Secretary-General to discuss Pakistan’s diplomatic and mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, including its constructive role in supporting negotiations between the two countries.
The Secretary-General is expected to be back in New York on Thursday.
Who Is António Guterres?
Born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1949, António Guterres studied engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico. He became the United Nations’ ninth secretary-general, taking office on January 1, 2017.
Before becoming UN secretary-general, Guterres served as UN High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015.
He previously spent more than two decades in government and public service. Guterres served as Portugal’s prime minister from 1995 to 2002 and was elected to the Portuguese parliament in 1976, where he served for 17 years.
He also served on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 1981 to 1983, including as chairman of a committee dealing with population, migration and refugees.
Guterres was associated for several years with the Socialist International, serving as its vice president from 1992 to 1999 and president from 1999 until mid-2005. He also contributed to the establishment of the Portuguese Refugee Council and the Portuguese Consumers Association (DECO).
