WASHINGTON: In a rare diplomatic convergence, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan are expected slated to address the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on the same day.
This year, on September 26, Pakistan and India will likely mark their first shared appearance at a global forum since a tense standoff in May that nearly escalated into nuclear conflict.
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According to a provisional lineup released by UN officials, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak in the morning session, while Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the UNGA is scheduled for later in the day. The timing could give Pakistan an opportunity to directly counter India’s positions, particularly on contentious regional issues such as Kashmir.
PM Sharif will be heading a senior-level Pakistani delegation, which includes Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Foreign Affairs Adviser Tariq Fatemi. The group aims to use the global stage to reinforce Islamabad’s stance on regional peace and the unresolved Kashmir dispute.
The high-level UNGA debate will run from September 23 to 29, following the Assembly’s formal opening on September 9. This year’s theme is, “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights,” aimed at a renewed international cooperation amid global instability.
As per tradition, Brazil will open the debate, followed by the United States, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver his first UNGA speech since beginning his second term in office.
The simultaneous presence of both South Asian leaders has drawn attention from diplomatic observers, who suggest that their speeches may highlight contrasting narratives. While PM Modi is expected to reiterate the usual ‘national sovereignty and security’ arguments, PM Sharif is likely to focus on regional tensions and human rights, including concerns on Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir.
The 80th UN General Assembly session is shaping up to be one of the most critical diplomatic gatherings in recent years, unfolding against the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and lingering regional tensions following the India-Pakistan hostilities earlier this year.
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In addition to the general debate, the UN has scheduled a special climate summit for September 24 and a high-level meeting on September 26 to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, which also holds a symbolic alignment for Pakistan and India given the nuclear stakes between the two South Asian rivals.