UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has said, India’s success in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals can change the face of the world. Describing India as a very important player of the multilateral system  Ms Espinosa said she is very much looking forward to engaging and working together with India under her presidency of the 193-member UN General Assembly.

Espinosa, Ecuador’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs has been elected president of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly and becoming only the fourth female president of the organisation in its 73-year history.

Before assuming office as UNGA president, Espinosa had visited India and  held meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recalling her visit to India, she said she is touched to see how the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) are being implemented on the ground in the country.

Lauding India’s efforts in various aspects of the UN system, she said India is a very strong contributor of troops for UN peacekeeping operations.

Espinosa also congratulated Prime Minister Modi for being conferred with the United Nations’ the ‘UNEP Champions of the Earth’ award, recognising his leadership of the International Solar Alliance as well as his pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022.