Pakistan PM meets Saudi, Bangladeshi and Palestinian leaders on sidelines of COP31 in Türkiye
By The South Asia Times
ANTALYA, Türkiye - Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a series of informal meetings with international leaders on Wednesday on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, discussing bilateral relations, regional developments and the challenges facing countries most vulnerable to climate change.
Sharif met Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
He also met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, during which he expressed Pakistan’s strong solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Mustafa thanked the Pakistani government and people for supporting the Palestinian cause and raising their voice internationally against what he described as abuses suffered by Palestinians.
Other meetings included Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir and World Bank President Ajay Banga.
The meetings took place in a cordial atmosphere, with discussions focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and the regional situation. The leaders also exchanged views on the importance of highlighting internationally the difficulties faced by countries most severely affected by climate change.
Sharif arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday to represent Pakistan at the COP31 summit.
On Wednesday, he arrived at the conference hall to attend the leaders’ summit, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warmly welcomed him, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Sharif joined other world leaders for a group photograph and exchanged greetings with participants at the gathering.
COP31 brings together world leaders and representatives to discuss climate action, with vulnerable countries seeking greater international support to address the impacts of global warming.
