PM Shehbaz to visit Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan for international summits

• Second Joint Arab Islamic Summit to take place on Nov 11.
• PM to attend Climate Action Summit in Baku on Nov 12-13.
• PM Shehbaz expected to hold meetings with world leaders. 
  

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan next week to attend the Second Joint Arab Islamic Summit in Riyadh and the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in Baku.

Addressing a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the premier will visit Saudi Arabia to participate in the Second Joint Arab Islamic Summit being held in Riyadh on November 11.

Being convened at the initiative of the Saudi government, the summit will be a follow-up to the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit held on November 11, last year to discuss the situation in Gaza and other occupied territories.

The heads of state and government and senior officials from Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) member countries are expected to participate in the summit.

On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders from other Arab League and OIC member states.

After concluding his kingdom’s visit, Baloch said, PM Shehbaz will also visit Baku, Azerbaijan, to participate in the World Leaders Climate Action Summit being held on November 12-13 as part of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, other cabinet members, and senior officials will accompany the prime minister who will make a robust call for climate solidarity and climate justice based on the established principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

On the sidelines of the summit, he is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with participating world leaders.

COP29 is taking place at a time when millions around the world, including in Pakistan, are facing severe adverse impacts of climate change.

As an important stakeholder, Pakistan will continue to make positive contributions to the global climate debate, negotiations, and collective action.

Last month, the premier visited Saudi Arabia to attend the eighth session of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).

He also met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as both leaders took stock of the ongoing bilateral engagements, especially in follow-up to the decisions taken in previous high-level meetings held in Makkah and Riyadh in April.

During PM’s visit, the kingdom announced adding another $600 million to its recently pledged $2.2 billion investment in Pakistan.