UNGA President arrives in India, to hold talks with EAM Jaishankar

Francis' visit to India from January 22 to 26 will cover New Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai during the course of which he will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, according to an official statement, writes Chandrakala Choudhury

New Delhi: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Denis Francis on Monday arrived in New Delhi and was received by the Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj.

President Francis is on an official visit to India from January 22 to 26 during which he will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Mumbai and also hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, according to an official statement issued by his office.

An elated Francis tweeted, "Delighted to arrive in New Delhi on an auspicious day when the country is celebrating its ‘Second Diwali’. Looking forward to fruitful discussions over the next few days on Peace, Progress, Prosperity and Sustainability."

The discussions between Francis and Jaishankar are expected to focus on their priorities, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and India’s engagement and contribution to the United Nations, a reiteration of the invitation to participate in the inaugural Sustainability Week from 15-19 April this year in New York and reflections on the Summit of the Future, which will take place in September 2024, in New York, the statement added.

Francis will also lay a wreath at Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s Memorial, and attend public engagements in New Delhi, including an address at the Indian Council of World Affairs under the theme of his Presidency: “Peace, Progress, Prosperity, and Sustainability".

Furthermore, he is scheduled to visit Jaipur, where he is expected to appreciate the work of an NGO specializing in providing affordable and accessible prosthetic limbs.

In Mumbai, the last leg of his official visit, Francis is also scheduled to participate in a Fireside Chat event with India’s think tank on “New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism”.

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