UN chief looks forward to working with Modi: Spokesperson

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres looks forward to working with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has begun his second term in office, according to a spokesperson.

"India is, as you know, a very valuable partner of the UN," Guterres's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Thursday.

"We will look forward to working with the (Modi) government as it has now taken office.

"The Secretary-General has worked very closely with the Prime Minister, including, as you've seen, with his work on the issue of climate change," Haq said.

Modi is expected to participate in the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit summit in New York in September. India will be leading the industry track of the summit along with Sweden.

Last year, Guterres presented Modi with the Champion of Earth award, the highest environmental honour of the UN, for his leadership in fighting climate change.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in <mailto:arul.l@ians.in> and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

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