PM Modi holds bilateral talks with UN Secretary General ahead of Mission LiFE launch

Narmada: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a bilateral meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Gujarat's Ekta Nagar, Kevadia.
The duo paid floral tributes at the Statue of Unity at Kevadia and the UN Secretary-General joined Prime Minister Modi at the launch of the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) booklet, logo, and tagline. The visiting UN chief is on a three-day trip to India.
Envisaged by PM Modi, Mission LIFE is expected to be an India-led global mass movement that will nudge individual and collective action to protect and preserve the environment, said Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Mission LiFE will be India's signature initiative at the United Nations and other international platforms for showcasing climate action and early achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release.
Earlier on Wednesday, Guterres met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and exchanged views on pressing global concerns and challenges in multilateralism.
"Glad to welcome UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres in Ekta Nagar, Kevadia. Exchanged views on pressing global concerns and challenges in multilateralism," Jaishankar tweeted.
UN Chief, on Wednesday, paid tributes to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai and addressed students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
Terming India a partner of choice of the UN, he said New Delhi have increased its impact on the international stage due to the donation of medicines, equipment, and vaccines at the height of Covid-19 to neighbouring countries.
"From your donations of medicines, equipment and vaccines at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to your humanitarian assistance and development finance to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, you're increasing impact on the international stage. India is today a partner of choice of the UN," Guterres said at IIT Bombay.
The UN chief said India's digital platform Cowin is the largest vaccination program for Covid-19, delivering more than 2 billion doses.
He further said that India was the first country to launch a single-country south-south cooperation support framework via the India-UN development framework partnership.
On India's contribution to UN Peacekeeping, Guterres said, "India is also the biggest provider of military and police personnel to UN missions, including the first all-women UN police contingent to a peacekeeping mission. Over 200,000 Indian men and women have served in 49 peacekeeping missions since 1948, a remarkable contribution to peace in the world. "
"As a member of UNSC for two years, India's contributed significantly to promoting multilateral solutions and addressing crises," he added. (ANI)