NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Bill Gates, founder and co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), on sidelines of 79th Session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 2024) session here. Statement in this regard was issued by PM's Office.

Recalling Gates' recent visit to Pakistan in June this year, PM thanked him for invitation to visit Gates Foundation in Seattle in December 2024. He appreciated Gates Foundation's engagement and support to Pakistan on polio eradication, maternal and child health, nutrition, immunisation, digitisation and financial inclusion.

He highlighted Pakistan's unwavering commitment to ensure complete eradication of polio from country. He thanked BMGF for its longstanding support in this effort and underscored need for sustained efforts and support to Pakistan, particularly for health system strengthening and maternal and child nutrition in this regard.

Acknowledging Pakistan's efforts, Gates stressed polio eradication was vital to protect future generations from crippling disease. He appreciated PM's supervision and engagement of provincial governments in polio vaccine programme across country.

Gates shared updates on comprehensive health dialogue with Afghanistan and requested support for initiative. He communicated his willingness to focus more on pockets where number of missed children or refusal of polio vaccines is higher especially where morbidity of children is higher.

He shared King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre's support for polio and other health relief-related initiatives with PM Shehbaz. Gates also highlighted his foundation's work on nutrition, especially micronutrients for pregnant women and how it can be increased by providing them additional vitamins in support of UNICEF. PM commended the Gates Foundation for its polio campaign in Gaza given challenges and plight of children in region.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with his UK counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. A statement was issued in this regard by the PM's Office on Thursday.

Meanwhile, during meeting, with UK premier, both leaders discussed bilateral relations between Pakistan and United Kingdom, as well as matters of mutual interest. PM Shehbaz highlighted UK as third-largest investor in Pakistan during meeting with Keir Starmer. Both sides agreed on need to further strengthen ties, particularly in areas of trade and investment.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 27 2024

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