US Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday made an unwavering plea to extend assistance to Pakistan in the aftermath of floods that devastated the country in his speech before the UN General Assembly, as Biden announced more than $2.9 billion in additional assistance to combat global hunger.
Biden was faced with a variety of challenging issues when heads of state gathered in this year. The president addressed the 193 members of the assembly during the high-level discussion in which he addressed the negative effects of climate change.
“Pakistan is still submerged and needs assistance,” the president told an audience of leaders in the famous Hall of the General Assembly, including the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.
In his speech, Biden announced over $2.9 billion in additional assistance to combat the issue of food insecurity around the world, adding upon the $6.9 billion of US aid from the government to help with the global food security that was already pledged this year.
Biden. President Biden announced in the United Nations that Russia had “shamelessly breached the fundamental principles” of the global body by waging war on Ukraine when he called on nations across the world to stand united behind the Ukrainian opposition.
Biden slammed the forceful nature of Russia’s seven-month conflict, Biden also referenced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement made on Wednesday that Putin had ordered a part-time mobilization of the Reservists
Also Read: Economic relations pivotal in new chapter of Pak-US relations
Putin’s latest nuclear threats to Europe demonstrated “reckless disregard” of Russia’s obligations as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Biden said. “Russia has indecently breached the fundamental tenets in the UN Charter,” he said.
Biden has also highlighted the negative effects of the Ukraine conflict on the global food supply, making a pledge of $2.9 billion in food security assistance to help address shortages caused by the conflict as well as the impacts of climate change.
Biden also supported an expansion of the UN Security Council. Biden stated that the US will be a firm supporter of permanently-appointed seats to Africa as well as Latin America in addition to the previous support for Japan along with India. He also stated that that the United States would “refrain from using the veto except in very exceptional circumstances, to ensure that the council remains efficient and credible.”
Some other leaders speaking at on behalf of the United Nations was Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who claimed that his fellow leaders in the West of “double standards” in reference to the murders of Indigenous women in Canada. Biden declared the Americans “stand in solidarity with courageous women from Iran” after the murder of an 23-year old Mahsa Amini.
Biden confirmed his US determination to support the creation of the establishment of a Palestinian state, but did not provide any details of any future peace initiative. “We remain committed to fight for a lasting negotiations for peaceful relations between Jewish and democratic nation of Israel and the Palestinian people,” he said.
Agencies
