NEW YORK: The new Pakistan government’s immediate priority is to address the country’s serious economic challenges, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told a gathering of ambassadors from friendly countries Wednesday night.

Speaking at a dinner hosted by Ambassador Munir Akram, he said that Pakistan hopes to meet these challenges through strengthening cooperation with all development partners and fraternal Islamic countries. Among those attending the dinner were ambassadors from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Iran, Oman, Italy, Malta, Ecuador, Egypt, Indonesia, UAE, and Kuwait.

In his remarks, the foreign minister also outlined Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities on a wide range of global and regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, Jammu and Kashmir, Security Council reforms, the Covid-19 pandemic, the related economic downturn, climate change, price inflation and food security.

Bilawal, Blinken discuss multifaceted bilateral ties

FM Bilawal said that Pakistan looked forward to working closely with all friends and partners, including OIC countries, members of the Security Council, European Union, United States, China, and others on all issues of mutual concern.

Earlier, he spent a busy day at UN meeting top diplomats, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid. He also addressed the high-level meeting on food security.