It will be a month of high-level political engagement for New Delhi, with India taking the chair of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in August. Urgent global issues such as maritime security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism are high on the Indian agenda.
After taking office on Tuesday, India’s Permanent Representative joined the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, told the media: “Today is a proud moment for India. After almost eight years, India holds the presidency of the Security Council. It is a unique honor and privilege for me and my team and for all of us in India. “
Ambassador Tirumurti announced that the Security Council had adopted a work program for August. Three major high level events will be attended, including a meeting on maritime security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
READ: India to chair the UN Security Council in August; Focus on maritime, counter-terrorism
The Foreign Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will also be traveling to New York to attend two events. In addition to chairing a briefing on counter-terrorism, Jaishankar will also lead the open ministerial-level debate on technology and peacekeeping.
Three priorities for India:
Maritime security
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually chair the high-level open debate on “Maintaining International Peace and Security at Sea: Maritime Security” on August 9th. This is the first Indian Prime Minister to chair an open debate in the UN Security Council.
A whole first day as President of the UN #Security Council
Usual breakfast with all members of #UNSC
Adoption of the work program
Adoption of the President’s Declaration on the mobilization of @unamidnews in Darfur
Media interaction
Briefing from wider @ON membership#IndiaUNSC pic.twitter.com/pfZ6OBxz3j– PR / With TS Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) August 3, 2021
The Head of Cabinet of UN Secretary General Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti and the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghada Fathi Waly, will brief the Council during the open debate on maritime safety.
When asked if PM Modi would travel to New York, Ambassador Tirumurti said: “Talks are ongoing Delta variant is a problem. But more importantly: we should take all countries with us. There are many who have not yet reached the vaccine curve and so there would be leaders from many of these countries who cannot come. We should focus on equity in vaccines. “
UN peacekeeping
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti, said the UN Security Council will “also have several important meetings on its agenda, including Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen and the Middle East”.
As one of the key events of its presidency in August, India is organizing an open debate at ministerial level on the subject of “technology and peacekeeping” in the UN Security Council.
The open debate is designed to provide Council members with an opportunity to exchange views on the challenges and opportunities arising from the use of technology and innovation in peacekeeping.
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Under the chairmanship of EAM Jaishankar, Under-Secretaries-General for Peace Operations and Operational Assistance, Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Atul Khare, will brief the Council during this open debate.
Regarding regional issues, the Situation in Afghanistan will definitely come. When asked whether India could gain a foothold in Afghanistan through peacekeeping forces, Ambassador Tirumurti said there were currently no such plans.
“I have not yet arrived at the place where India will send peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan. There cannot be a unilateral decision on peace in Afghanistan. All parties involved must be consulted. I cannot comment on the sovereign decision of the US to withdraw troops.” from Afghanistan, “said Ambassador Tirumurti.
Anti-terrorism
With the fight against terrorism an important issue, Ambassador Tirumurti said: “We want to keep terrorism in the spotlight, the rise in terrorism in Africa is a cause for concern. There are banned terrorists who have connections. “
The head of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office (UNOCT), Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, and the Executive Director of the Executive Directorate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTED), Deputy Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx, are expected to brief the UN Security Council in August.
They will also present the Secretary General’s 13th Strategic Level Report on the Islamic State Threat in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da’esh).
EAM Jaishankar is expected to chair this important counter-terrorism meeting.
#IndiaAtUNSC
On a question too #IndoPak and #Cashmere–India wants normal friendly relations with Pakistan … Pakistan has a duty to create a conducive atmosphere so that no territory under its control is used for terrorism against India.@ambtstirumurti@IndiaUNNewYork pic.twitter.com/QopBmM2uh1
– Geeta Mohan (@Geeta_Mohan) August 2, 2021
When asked about Pakistan, which hosts terrorist suspects, Ambassador Tirumurti told the media: “India wants normal friendly relations with Pakistan. We have always emphasized that peaceful and bilateral dialogue is important for this.”
“We have the Shimla Agreement, on the basis of which we have decided to always discuss Kashmir bilaterally. It is up to Pakistan to create a conducive atmosphere so that no territory under its control is misused for terrorism against India,” said Ambassador Tirumurti emphatically .
एक टिप्पणी भेजें