ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday announced its backing for a second term for United Nations Secretary General António Guterres.

The support was expressed during Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s telephone call Mr Guterres.

“Lauding the UNSG’s leadership during challenging times, the foreign minister welcomed his availability to serve a second term in office, and expressed Pakistan’s full support for Mr Guterres’s re-appointment for another five-year tenure,” the Foreign Office said in a readout on the conversation.

Mr Guterres, whose term ends on December 31, is seeking a second five-year term as the secretary general. As per the UN rules, the UNSG can seek a second term provided he can muster enough support from the member states.

Mr Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s abiding commitment to multilateralism, with a strong UN playing a central role in the delivery of its mandates that meet the expectations of member states.

The foreign minister and Mr Guterres, moreover, exchanged views on a number of issues on the UN agenda, including the Covid-19 situation, economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic, international debt relief efforts, equitable availability of vaccines for developing countries, peacekeeping, Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Afghan peace process.

The FO said the UNSG acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive contributions towards effective functioning of the world body and called Pakistan a “fundamental partner of the United Nations”. Mr Guterres especially lauded Pakistan’s Presidency of the UN Economic and Social Council for promotion of the socio-economic development agenda, it added.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2021