UNSC reforms essential to make it relevant: PM

From Yoshita Singh and Lalit K Jha

United Nations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched for reform of the UN Security Council, saying it was essential for the world body to inspire confidence and be relevant in the current world realities.

“70 years back, when the horrific second World War came to an end, this organisation came into being, raising hopes of people around the world. We have gathered here to decide a new direction,” he said addressing the UN General Assembly session.

Talking about the global challenges and problems, Modi said, “We need UN reforms so that it inspires confidence and becomes relevant to the current world realities.”

His pitch for UNSC reforms comes amidst India’s strong bid for a permanent seat in the expanded powerful world body.

Modi asserted that the global challenges like climate change and sustainable development are the collective responsibility of all nations as no nation can be immune to any kind of threat.

Modi talked about the need for eradicating poverty and ensuring development as he highlighted that 1.3 billion people around the world are forced to live in poverty.

On the issue of climate change, he maintained that common but differentiated responsibility is the basis for dealing with this challenge.

In this context, he asked the developed nations to fulfill their responsibility of sharing technology, innovation and finances with the developing countries without having any “selfish interest”.

The Prime Minister said while working for the Sustainable Development Goals, there should be “climate justice” to ensure that poor are protected from natural tragedies.

“While addressing climate change, it is important to focus on solutions that help us reach our goals,” he told the assembly of leaders from across the world.

Noting that India sees the world as one, Modi said the globe is connected and dependant on each other. “Our international partnerships need to be centred on progress of humanity,” he said.

Referring to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 adopted by the UNGA today, the Prime Minister said much of India’s development agenda is mirrored in it.

“The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is the bedrock of our enterprise for a sustainable world… We are here today at the UN, because we believe that international partnership must be at the centre of our efforts,” he said.

He listed the programmes and schemes rolled out by his government for financial inclusion, poverty alleviation, healthcare, education and women empowerment and said “Our national plans to ensure sustainable development are purposeful and ambitious”.

He said eradication of poverty must remain the biggest responsibility as without it the world peace, just systems and sustainable development cannot be possible. .

The Prime Minister said that world focusses only on two sectors — public sector and private sector — while talking about development but India is giving importance to the third sector — personal sector — as part of its effort towards economic development.

By looking at the ‘personal sector’, he said India is focussing on individual enterprise, innovation, micro-finance and a new ‘start-up’ movement.

“We are working on financial inclusion in a very big way,” Modi said and mentioned the programmes like Jandhan bank accounts and pension schemes launched by his government.

He said his government was also working towards making agriculture more productive and helping farmers suffering from natural adversities.

“Since we attained freedom, we have focussed on ending poverty. Education and skill development are priorities for us… The world must be free from poverty and development must be sustainable,” he said.

Troop contribution: Modi seeks change in decision making

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken up with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the issue of lack of consultation with large troop contributing countries like India on peacekeeping operations.

Modi met Ban at the world body’s headquarters here yesterday before his address to world leaders at the UN Sustainable Development Summit.

The discussions between them focused on peacekeeping, UN Security Council reforms, sustainable development including climate change as well as regional issues, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup told reporters.

While assuring Ban that India would continue to be a strong supporter of UN peacekeeping, Modi said there has to be a change in the manner in which decisions were taken about troop contributions to peacekeeping operations.

Modi said while India has been the largest contributor to international peacekeeping operations, it along with other Troop Contributing Countries is not consulted adequately enough before peace keeping operations are authorised.

The Secretary-General commended India for its indispensable contribution to UN peacekeeping.

Their talks focused on the importance of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular reference to climate change. Modi told Ban that currently there is a huge trust deficit regarding developed countries which have not yet delivered on the commitments including on climate finance.

Modi said the focus should not be on emissions only but nations should also set positive goals and support increasing use of renewable energy, according to Swarup.

The Indian leader, who talked about climate justice, noted that the narrative of restrictions, control and pressure was not a positive way of approaching the subject.

“We do not have the right to deprive succeeding generations of their rights,” Swarup said, quoting the Prime Minister.

Modi said concessional financing from international institutions should be available for renewable energy and particularly for transfer of technology.

He also presented to the UN Chief a special publication on ‘India and the UN: 70 years’, which chronicles important moments in India’s engagement with the UN since 1945.

The book contains as a foreword the July 4 letter written by Modi to the UN Chief on the occasion of the world body’s 70 years of existence. It has been authored and compiled by Indian envoy to the UN Ambassador Asoke Mukerji.

According to a readout of the meeting provided by Ban s spokesperson, the Secretary-General also emphasised the need for climate change finance as a key to building trust between developed and developing countries.

He underlined the tremendous importance of India’s role in renewable energy, and encouraged the Prime Minister to continue to show strong global leadership on this issue.

There was also a broad exchange of views on Nepal and Sri Lanka with the Secretary General saying that he counted on India’s strong leadership in the region.

Ban “underlined India’s influential role in supporting the democratic transitions in both Nepal and Sri Lanka,” the statement by his spokesperson said.

IS greatest challenge facing international community: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acknowledged that the dreaded terror group Islamic State poses one of the greatest challenges facing the international community today and said there is a need to “delink terrorism from religion”.

During a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Modi discussed ways to prevent radicalisation of youth and to counteract extremist messaging, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said after the meeting yesterday.

“Both leaders acknowledged that ISIS was one of the greatest challenges facing the international community. The Prime Minister said that there is a need to delink terrorism from religion,” Swarup said.

Modi said the only way to combat international terrorism and the menace of organisations like IS (also known as ISIS) was to have a global response.

He specially referred to the long pending proposal of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, saying the time has now come for the international community to speak on one voice on this important issue and adopt this global convention.

Modi and King Abdullah also discussed the UN Security Council reform.

“Prime Minister mentioned that it was inconceivable that a country as large as India representing one sixth of humanity was not in the Security Council,” he said.

“This was something we have been agitating for a long time. We want that the 70th anniversary of the United Nations to be an occasion for the international community to step up to its obligations and reform this very important body of the United Nations,” Swarup said.

The King of Jordan said he has fully supported this and he always supported India’s aspirations to be a permanent member of the Security Council, he said, adding that Jordan is a very important country in a very important region from India’s point of view.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister commended King Abdullah for the strong leadership that he has shown in the fight against international terrorism.

He also thanked the King for the support that Jordan had provided when Indian citizens were trapped in Iraq and Syria and have to be evacuated.

King Abdullah said he valued India as a partner and wanted to increase the economic and security co-operation that Jordan has with India, Swarup added.

PTI