UNITED NATIONS, Mar 11 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Tuesday praised Pakistan’s outgoing Ambassador Munir Akram’s “outstanding” contribution to multilateral diplomacy, as the top Pakistani diplomat paid a farewell call on the UN chief.
Ambassador Akram leaves his post at the end of this month when Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad takes over as the permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Ambassador Akram underscored the need to strengthen multilateralism with the UN at its core and commended the secretary-general’s leadership in advancing sustainable development, highlighting the need for reforms in global financial institutions, reviewing peacekeeping operations and fostering consensus on the implementation of the Pact for the Future.
Ambassador Akram also expressed gratitude for the UN’s support to the Pakistan Mission in promoting shared objectives.
The Secretary-General extended his best wishes to Ambassador Akram for the future.
Ambassador Munir Akram assumed his current position in 2019.
He previously served as Pakistan ambassador in New York for six years between 2002 and 2008, after serving as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva for seven years from 1995 to 2002.
Between 1988-1992, Munir Akram was Pakistan’s Ambassador to the European Council, Belgium and Luxemburg.
During his term at the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram served twice as President of the Security Council in May 2003 and in May 2004; President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2005; Chairman of the Group of 77 and China (developing countries) in 2007, and Facilitator on UN Administrative Reform in 2006.
During his current term, Ambassador again served as ECOSOC president as well as G-77 Chairman.
He was deeply involved in the campaign for a 2025-26 non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council that Pakistan won with overwhelming majority. Pakistan garnered 182 votes in the 193-member General Assembly — far more than the required 124 votes representing a two-thirds majority.
Among the positions he held in various intergovernmental organizations were: Member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament; Chairman of the WTO Trade Policy Review Body; President of the Conference on Disarmament (June 1996).
Ambassador Akram joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1967, holding various positions in the Foreign Ministry as Additional Foreign Secretary and Director-General dealing with the United Nations.
He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Karachi. A prolific writer, he has lectured and published several articles and papers on various strategic, political and economic issues.
In recognition of his “selfless service and outstanding performance in the field of diplomacy and foreign policy”, he was conferred the Award of Hilal-i-Quaid-e-Azam by the President of Pakistan.