United Nations: After an acrimonious informal meeting on Ukraine, the UN Security Council came together formally for the first time to issue a statement that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "spoke with one voice for peace in Ukraine".Without mentioning names, the simple statement that can be described as toothless said on Friday: "The Security Council expresses deep concern regarding the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine. The Security Council recalls that all Member States have undertaken, under the Charter of the United Nations, the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means."The Council which had been paralysed by Russia's veto power, managed for the first time since the Ukraine conflict took centre stage to agree on anything about it.But the statement has no real impact on the situation as it was only an expression of concern and an acknowledgement of obligations without telling anyone what to do.The statement also expressed support for the UN chief's efforts to "search for a peaceful solution". Guterres followed it up with his own statement: "Today, for the first time, the Security Council spoke with one voice for peace in Ukraine. As I have often said, the world must come together to silence the guns and uphold the values of the UN Charter."He added that he welcomed the Council's support and will spare no efforts to find peace.He recently went on a peace mission to Moscow and Kiev to meet Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.The only tangible result to emerge from the journey was an agreement by Russia to allow a UN-sponsored evacuation of civilians from the Mariupol which is under siege by its troops.Hammered out behind closed doors under the leadership of the United States which holds the council's rotating presidency, it was announced in a session lasting just over a minute.US Deputy Permanent Representative Richard Mills, who presided over the session, said that it was "in accordance with the understanding reached among the members of the Council".Earlier, Russia convened an informal meeting of the Council on what it said were violations of international humanitarian law by Ukraine. Speaking at the meeting Pratik Mathur, a counsellor at India's UN Mission called for an immediate end to the conflict. "We continue to remain deeply concerned about the worsening situation in Ukraine."Noting that India has "strongly condemned the killing of civilians in Bucha and supported the call for an independent investigation", he said: "We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives."With videos and pictures at the meeting, Russia's Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia gave Moscow's narrative of the conflict in which the Ukrainian military and militias kept civilians hostage, damaged Ukrainian property and tortured captured Russian soldiers.The US' UN Mission Political Coordinator Rodney Hunter countered by accusing Russia of "using the Security Council to spread disinformation, lies, and false narratives for years".But later came the unanimous statement at the US-led formal Council meeting. —IANS

After an acrimonious informal meeting on Ukraine, the UN Security Council came together formally for the first time to issue a statement that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "spoke with one voice for peace in Ukraine".

UNSC Agrees First Time On Statement On Ukraine, But It's Toothless

Kabul: As the Taliban's recent decision to impose additional restrictions on women, including the mandate that they cover their faces in public places, the United Nations Security Council will hold a meeting to discuss the issue on May 12 at the request of Norway mission. The discussion will be focused on the human rights situation, as well as the release of girls and women and Taliban's imposition of new restrictions on them, Khaama Press reported.According to Norway's UN mission, Deborah Lyons, the UN's special envoy for Afghanistan, will brief the 15-member council on the intensification of restrictions and the newly devised decree for Afghan women. Afghanistan's supreme leader has ordered the country's women to cover their faces in public - one of the harshest restrictions imposed on them since the Taliban seized power last year."They should wear a chadori (head-to-toe burqa) as it is traditional and respectful," said a decree issued by Taliban chief Haibatullah Akhunzada that was released by authorities at a function in Kabul on Saturday. The group promised to respect women's rights after assuming power in August. However, reversing their declaration that girls' high schools would open, claiming they would remain closed until a plan was developed to reopen exposed the Taliban's plans out in the open.During their previous rule, from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban denied women the right to work and education, and the group's stance over the past nine months, which has dominated Afghanistan, suggests that the group is once again pressing for stricter controls—ANI

 As the Taliban's recent decision to impose additional restrictions on women, including the mandate that they cover their faces in public places, the United Nations Security Council will hold a meeting to discuss the issue on May 12 at the request of Norway mission. 

UNSC to hold discussion on Taliban's new burqa order

New York: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday highlighted the adverse impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war on the developing world, and called for a "global collective action" to address the looming food crisis as well as economic decline. MoS Muraleedharan was speaking at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on 'Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Conflict and Food Security' which was chaired by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken."The Global South has been adversely impacted both by the conflict itself, as well as by the various measures put in place in response. If the conflict does not give way to a meaningful path of dialogue and diplomacy immediately, there will be severe repercussions in the global economy which will derail the efforts of the Global South to secure food security and eradicate hunger in the run-up to 2030," Muraleedharan said. Saying that the collapse of economies and law and order issues are being already seen in some countries, MoS Muraleedharan emphasized the need to start factoring in the multi-dimensional impact of the Ukraine conflict and the associated actions on the Global South especially the vulnerable developing countries. "The solution to these challenges lies in global collective action. No single country can, on its own, handle such complex collateral ramifications. We need to work collectively and we need to work together. In this context, let me submit the following eight points for this Council's consideration," Muraleedharan said. He went on to elaborate on the eight-point proposal which included a call for a solution to the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, a creative response to the emerging food crisis, and a sensitive approach toward the energy security needs of other countries, among other proposals including special support to conflict-ridden countries, avoiding linking humanitarian assistance with political processes and providing for peacebuilding and development initiatives as well in addition to assistance with food. Talking about India's recent decision to impose restrictions on the export of wheat, Muraleedharan said that the Indian government took the measure as it "recognized the sudden spike in global prices of wheat which put our food security and those of our neighbours and other vulnerable countries at risk." "Let me reaffirm that these measures allow for export on the basis of approvals to those countries who are required to meet their food security demands. This will be done on the request from the concerned governments. Such a policy will ensure that we will truly respond to those who are most in need," Muraleedharan said. "It is necessary for all of us to adequately appreciate the importance of equity, affordability and accessibility when it comes to food grains. We have already seen to our great cost how these principles were disregarded in the case of Covid-19 vaccines. Open markets must not become an argument to perpetuate inequity and promote discrimination," Muraleedharan emphasized. MoS Muraleedharan went on to talk about India's domestic initiatives to ensure access to food, highlighting that, "India is running the world's largest food-based safety net programme." He also highlighted India's assistance in foodgrains to neighbouring countries including Afghanistan and Myanmar and several African countries."We are also assisting Sri Lanka including with food assistance, during its difficult times. All these were in keeping with our foreign policy priority of 'Neighbourhood First' and our firm belief in the abiding ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is one family," Muraleedharan said."I would like to underscore India remains committed to working with all other Member-States and international organisations, including the United Nations, to collectively strengthen global food security, particularly in countries facing conflict situations," MoS Muraleedharan said. MoS Muraleedharan is on an eight-day visit to the US during the course of which he is also leading the Indian delegation for the first International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) being held by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) among other engagements. —ANI

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday highlighted the adverse impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war on the developing world, and called for a "global collective action" to address the looming food crisis as well as economic decline. MoS Muraleedharan was speaking at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on 'Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Conflict and Food Security' which was chaired by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

MoS Muraleedharan Calls For 'Global Collective Action' On Food Security At UNSC

United Nations: India on Friday slammed Pakistan for making "unwarranted remarks" on Jammu and Kashmir, saying comments made by its foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the UN Security Council are a “pavlovian response” aimed to misuse any forum and every topic to propagate false and malicious propaganda against New Delhi.India's response came after Bilawal raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, the abrogation of Article 370 and the recent order by the Delimitation Commission during his remarks at the Council debate."Pakistan Representative made unwarranted remarks, which symbolises nothing but a pavlovian response aimed to misuse any forum, and every topic, to propagate false and malicious propaganda against my country,” Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Rajesh Parihar said.India exercised the Right of Reply at the Security Council open debate on ‘Maintenance of International Peace &amp; Security - Conflict and Food Security' organised by the US, the Council President. “The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India. This includes the areas that are under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. No amount of rhetoric and propaganda from any country can deny this fact,” Parihar asserted.“The only contribution that Pakistan can make is to stop state sponsored terrorism. As regards to his other remarks, we will treat it with the contempt it deserves,” Parihar added.The Pakistan foreign minister, who is on a maiden visit to the US, also raked up the Kashmir issue while responding to questions during a press conference in New York on Thursday."As far as the question of our relationship with India is concerned, it is particularly complicated" by their recent actions in Kashmir - firstly the August 5, 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the recent decision by the delimitation commission on Jammu and Kashmir, he said.He said that these actions "have complicated this matter" and are an "assault" on the United Nations, the UN Security Council resolutions and the Geneva Convention. Bilawal said, "such actions make it very difficult for us to hold a dialogue" with India.Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India's decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and shall forever" remain an integral part of the country. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.India has also told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. —PTI

 India on Friday slammed Pakistan for making "unwarranted remarks" on Jammu and Kashmir, saying comments made by its foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the UN Security Council are a “pavlovian response” aimed to misuse any forum and every topic to propagate false and malicious propaganda against New Delhi.

India Slams Pak For Unwarranted Remarks' After FM Bilawal Rakes Up Kashmir At UNSC

United Nations:&nbsp;Warning about the dire threat from terrorists exploiting emerging digital technologies, from cryptocurrencies and NFTs to 3D printing and artificial intelligence, New Delhi has proposed holding a meeting of the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in India to consider ways to tackle the danger comprehensively.Announcing the proposal on Monday at the Council, India’s Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti, who is the chair of the CTC, said: “The need for member states to comprehensively address and tackle the implications of terrorist exploitation of the digital technologies more strategically has never been more dire.” The meeting “will exclusively focus on this issue and attempt to provide the way forward” in facing the challenges from terrorists adopting new financial technologies to raise and transfer funds and using artificial intelligence and 3D printing for attacks, he said.“The inter-connected nature of the digital domain requires that solutions to the complex problems and threats emanating from this domain cannot be resolved in isolation. “There is an underlying need to adopt a collaborative rules-based approach and work towards ensuring its openness, stability and security,” Tirumurti added. The Permanent Representative also spoke of the dangers from terrorist exploitation of the new financial technologies like virtual currencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that create monetary value out of non-physical entities, crowd-funding platforms and new payment methods like prepaid phone cards, mobile payments and online payment systems. “The ease of access, anonymity and intractability offered by them have enabled terrorist entities to collect and transfer funds evading the monitoring and enforcement structures.”Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, who briefed the Council on “The Use of Digital Technologies in Maintaining International Peace and Security”, also sounded a warning about “the increasing availability of digital payment methods such as cryptocurrencies” that terrorists exploit. “Non-state actors are becoming increasingly adept at using low-cost and widely available digital technologies to pursue their agendas.” DiCarlo said that terror groups like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda “remain active on social media, using platforms and messaging applications to share information and communicate with followers for the purposes of recruitment, planning and fundraising”. “Terrorist misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing for various terrorist purposes, which have a global reach, also demands our immediate attention,” Tirumurti said.He said that the approach to the problem of terrorism has to also go beyond looking at it as only a direct physical attack to holding equally responsible those “inciting the terrorist acts through hateful content and radical ideologies” even if they are far away from the incidents. “Equally needed is to address the legal challenges in bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, particularly due to the remote nature of their involvement in terrorist activities.” DiCarlo said that according to some estimates, “the number of state- and non-state-sponsored incidents of malicious use of digital technologies for political or military ends has nearly quadrupled since 2015”. “Of specific concern is activity targeting infrastructure that provides essential public services, such as health and humanitarian agencies,” she added.Tirumurti also warned about the cross-border terrorism by governments “leveraging their expertise in digital domain to achieve their political and security-related objectives” to target “critical national infrastructure, including health and energy facilities”. He did not name any country, but an Indian official has acknowledged that Chinese hackers unsuccessfully targeted power distribution facilities in the Ladakh region. Recorded Future, a US company that monitors cyber threats, had earlier reported that a Chinese group, Red Echo, had carried out cyber intrusions of several Indian electricity generation and distribution infrastructure facilities in 2020. In March, US federal prosecutors charged three Russians with hacking into energy infrastructure computer networks in India and in about 135 other countries.Tirumurti said that open democratic societies like India are particularly vulnerable to disinformation campaigns that are enhanced by “the use of machine learning and big data”. These pose “a considerable threat to international peace and security” and “the international community cannot take a selective approach and needs to avoid double standards when it comes to addressing these threats”, he said. DiCarlo criticised social media companies for their “sometimes limited or not fully adequate” response to “the spread of disinformation (and) radicalisation to violence, racism, and misogyny” their platforms.—IANS

Warning about the dire threat from terrorists exploiting emerging digital technologies, from cryptocurrencies and NFTs to 3D printing and artificial intelligence, New Delhi has proposed holding a meeting of the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in India to consider ways to tackle the danger comprehensively.

India Proposes UNSC Counter-Terror Panel Meet On Misuse Of New Technologies

Seoul: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has failed to pass a resolution to impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile tests due to opposition by China and Russia. Thirteen members of the 15-member Council voted in favour of the US-proposed resolution on Thursday, reports Yonhap News Agency. China and Russia, both veto power-wielding permanent members of the Council and close allies of North Korea, voted against the resolution, effectively blocking its passage. Washington proposed the new sanctions resolution after North Korea staged 16 rounds of missile launches since the start of the year.Pyongyang fired three ballistic missiles, including an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile, earlier this week, marking its 17th show of force of the year. In a prebuttal to Thursday’s scheduled UNSC vote, China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said Beijing would oppose any attempt to create confrontation or tension in Northeast Asia. “We do not think additional sanctions will be helpful in responding to the current situation,” he told reporters in New York earlier in the day.—IANS

The UN Security Council (UNSC) has failed to pass a resolution to impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile tests due to opposition by China and Russia.

UNSC Fails To Pass N.Korea Resolution Due To Oppn By China, Russia

New Delhi: Vacations mean fun, food, and fashion. Be it on the beachside or in the mountains, it leaves you with unforgettable memories and infinite pictures on your social media pages. You dress up in your best clothes, do touristy things, and click countless pictures. All these things are fun until the time you look into the mirror and realise your skin has paid the price. The intense heat of the sun affects our skin in many ways. Direct sun rays make our skin look dull and tanned. There are multiple products available on the market that claim to effectively help you prevent tanning, but we always get confused while choosing the best one out of them. The right kind of sunscreen can protect your skin from sun damage and is the perfect companion for your vacation, especially in summer.To help you pick out the right sunscreen for your skin, Malini Adapureddy, Founder &amp; CEO at Deconstruct, a science-backed skincare brand, has drawn up a list of ingredients that can be effective in reducing tanning. The thumb rule here is to always know and read about the ingredients before buying any skincare product:Alpha ArbutinAlpha Arbutin is a tyrosinase inhibitor, which means it inhibits tyrosinase and prevents Melanogenesis. It prevents tanning and treats hyperpigmentation by interfering with the production of melanin.Vitamin CVitamin C is a skin-lightening ingredient that effectively gets rid of tanning, hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Moreover, Vitamin C is shown to have sun-damage protection as well. So, not only does it remove tanning, it prevents it to some extent as well.Kojic AcidKojic Acid can remove tanning as it penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin and inhibits Melanogenesis, i.e., the synthesis of melanin.Azelaic AcidAzelaic Acid is effective in treating hyperpigmentation and tanning by slowing down the production of melanin.Glycolic AcidGlycolic Acid is an AHA, which works by sloughing away dead skin cells making the face look brighter. But, there's a catch, using Glycolic Acid regularly can make your skin sensitive to sunlight, meaning you'd be more prone to tanning. So, it's important to use sunscreen and avoid exposure to direct sunlight as much as possible while using Glycolic Acid.Whether you are at home or heading out these beauty ingredients ought to be part of your skincare routine no matter what the season is.—IANS

Vacations mean fun, food, and fashion. Be it on the beachside or in the mountains, it leaves you with unforgettable memories and infinite pictures on your social media pages. You dress up in your best clothes, do touristy things, and click countless pictures. All these things are fun until the time you look into the mirror and realise your skin has paid the price.

Protect your skin from a vacation tan

Many UN agencies were created that have and continue to provide critically important assistance in many fields, saving the lives and wellbeing of millions of people. Meanwhile, the UNSC has failed to maintain international peace and security which was its intended purpose. What it needs now is comprehensive reforms to make it relevant again. Alon Ben-Meir* Righting the Wrong New York (The Hawk): Any fair analysis of the United Nations strongly suggests that the UN of today is not the same UN that was established in 1945. The United Nations Security Council in particular, which was intended to maintain international peace and security, has sadly outlived its usefulness in its current makeup. It has, for all intents and purposes, been paralyzed due to its own structural fault line that provides the five permanent member states—the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France—veto power. Whereas political consideration and self-interest understandably influenced their respective decisions, their veto power has often been used to meet one state or another’s narrow political interest regardless of its impact on international peace and security.The composition of the UNWhen the UN was established, 51 countries were member states of the General Assembly (GA). Presently, there are 193 member states, along with two Permanent Observer states (the Holy See and Palestine). The GA can pass resolutions by a simple majority that expresses only a general consensus but without any enforcement powers. The problem here is that although the number of states in the GA has quadrupled and represents the entire international community, the Security Council’s size and permanent makeup has not changed, granting decision-making powers over binding resolutions to an increasing disproportionately small number of nations.The United Nations Security CouncilThe UNSC (the Council) is composed of 5 permanent states: The United States, Russia (the successor nation of founding member USSR), China, the United Kingdom, and France. These countries were accorded veto power because of their status as both great powers and the victors in World War II. They continue to exercise that power even though they do not represent the changing global demographic composition or realities of current geopolitical power.Moreover, whereas the Council was bestowed with the powers to maintain peace and international security with enforceable mechanisms, it has generally failed to reach consensus on enforcing its own resolutions. Thus, many countries who committed even egregious violations of the UN Charter have not generally been punished, which in many ways signaled that any country can violate the Charter and do so with impunity.The creation of UN agenciesAlthough the UN has lagged greatly in its intended purpose to maintain international peace and security, it has over the years established many agencies that provide significant humanitarian assistance in many fields. Among the most important agencies are the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, World Food Program, International Monetary Fund, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization, High Commissioner for Refugees, and UN Women. In this respect, the UN has become a massive relief organization.UN Peacekeeping ForcesAnother important branch of the UN is its peacekeeping forces. In many cases the peacekeepers rendered important services to keep the peace in different areas of conflict and in different times; currently, peacekeeping missions are ongoing in the Golan, Cyprus, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mali, Central African Republic, Western Sahara, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, and India and Pakistan, to maintain ceasefires, prevent outbreaks of violence in contentious areas, promote human rights, support humanitarian services, and support stabilization efforts as each individual mission requires.On the whole, however, UN peacekeeping forces have become basically an afterthought to the global community as an increasing number of states no longer view UN forces as effective in their missions, and as the UN fails to hold accountable peacekeepers who commit human rights abuses, particularly sexual abuse and exploitation. Nevertheless, as the World Bank notes, “every study that looked at diverse types of peacekeeping missions found that the UN was more effective in preventing and reducing violence than non-UN missions, and that stronger mandates and larger missions increased the likelihood of any mission’s success.”In recent years, however, there has been a decrease in funding for UN peacekeeping forces, particularly due to the Trump administration’s withholding of full funding, which may eventually lead to dispatching of fewer and fewer peacekeepers, especially if more countries refuse to provide their share of funds.Reforming the Security CouncilRegardless of the importance of the humanitarian agencies, given the increasing violent conflicts around the world, the importance of the Security Council’s task to maintain international peace and security must become again central to the functioning of the UN. Due to the present makeup of the Council, however, it cannot operate in that capacity unless significant reforms are undertaken. As a case in point, one must only look at the behavior of Russia at the onset of its invasion of Ukraine, where Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia denied in the midst of the invasion that it was not a war but only a “special military operation.” He also vetoed numerous resolutions condemning Russia’s actions, a move that Norwegian Ambassador Mona Juul criticized, stating “A veto cast by the aggressor undermines the purpose of the council. It’s a violation of the very foundation of the U.N. Charter.”It will be presumptuous on my part to provide the kind of reforms necessary to make the council relevant to international peace and security. Many have tried before me and sadly to no avail. One thing though is clear. For the Security Council to meet its obligation and responsibility and be effective in maintaining peace and security, it must first and foremost represent the demographic makeup of the international community. In addition, given the fact that the current countries on the Security Council will not relinquish their veto power voluntarily or by any provision in the UN Charter, the following partial reforms stand at least a small chance of being adopted. To that end, the following should be considered: -The Security Council should expand from 15 to 21 member states.-Nine states or regional unions will be granted permanent membership with veto power: the EU, the US, Russia, China, India, Indonesia to represent Asian countries, Brazil to represent the Latin American countries, the Arab League, and the African Union. Naturally the UK could present a major obstacle in this format, as it is no longer a member of the EU and would thus lose representation on the Council.-Twelve other countries in the Security Council would rotate every two years based on the current format.-A resolution can only be vetoed if two countries exercise their veto power.-The Security Council will establish an enforcement mechanism to ensure that its resolutions are carried out.-The Security Council will be empowered to resolve current violent conflicts and mediate other conflicts before they become violent.-The General Assembly will have the power to override any veto by a two-thirds majority.-The current global population is approximately 7.9 billion, and the total population of the above states or unions is 5.8 billion.As such, the Security Council would represent 73 percent of the global population, instead of the current Council makeup which only represents a paltry 25 percent, lower even than the 35 percent of the global population that the permanent UNSC members represented at its creation.As I indicated above, this may well be a farfetched idea, but then again, we must begin to think seriously about reforming the Security Council if we want the UN to perform the way it was intended to. Indeed, violent conflicts are on the rise, countries are infringing on the sovereignty of other weaker countries, and still many old conflicts remained unsolved. Together we are witnessing a far greater global volatility.To stem these tides, we need a renewed effort to reform the UN Security Council and give it the power to resolve conflict peacefully. *Dr Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies for over 20 years.

Any fair analysis of the United Nations strongly suggests that the UN of today is not the same UN that was established in 1945. The United Nations Security Council in particular, which was intended to maintain international peace and security, has sadly outlived its usefulness in its current makeup.

The UNSC Is In Desperate Need Of Comprehensive Reforms

United Nations: Japan has been elected to UN Security Council to succeed India as a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting next year. Japan was one of the five countries that were elected on Thursday through secret ballots. The seats are allocated by region and Japan was the unopposed choice of the Asia Pacific group with no formal rivals. However, it received 184 votes out of the 192 cast, with three going to Mongolia — which was not a candidate — as a passive-aggressive sign of opposition to Japan, and the other five were presumably blanks. Switzerland, which joined the UN only in 2002, was elected for the first time to the Council.The others elected were Malta, also from the Western European group, and Mozambique from Africa and Equador from Latin America. Japan, which was elected for the 12th time, will be joining the United Arab Emirates that began its term in January and is the other Asian nation on the Council. India will be completing its two-year term at the end of December — a month during which it will be the Council’s President, the second time during its current tenure. Like India, Japan is an aspirant for a permanent seat on the Council, and with Brazil, currently an elected member, and Germany they form the group known as G4 that lobbies for Council reform to expand permanent member slots and mutually support their candidacies for permanent seats. Japan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Odawara Kiyoshi said after the election that his country will push the Council to deal with the situation in North Korea, which has resumed missile tests. The Council has been deadlocked on the North Korea issue because of Chinese and Russian vetoes. His country’s other priorities on the Council would be “security, including energy and food,” he added.—IANS

Japan has been elected to UN Security Council to succeed India as a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting next year. Japan was one of the five countries that were elected on Thursday through secret ballots.

Japan Elected To UNSC To Succeed India Next Year

New York: India on Friday (local time) called on the EU to collectively fight against terrorism and emphasised the need to resolve the Ukraine conflict in order to resolve the peace and security challenges at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).India's deputy envoy to United Nations, R Ravindra said, "The EU has an important role to play in our continued fight against terrorism and other new and emerging challenges. India is the chair of the counter-terrorism committee and 1988 sanctions committee. In this capacity, India would like the EU to step up its support to make our fight against terrorism a collective fight and one fought with "zero tolerance", without any double-speak."He highlighted the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict and stressed the need to strengthen the partnership and linkages between the UN and regional organisations."The world continues to be confronted with peace and security challenges that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine crisis, and its consequent food and energy security challenges. This is disproportionally impacting the global south.""We need to strengthen the partnership and enhance linkages between the UN and regional organisations in line with Chapter 8 of the UN Charter. We need to pursue greater international cooperation and solidarity to overcome our common challenges," Ravindra added.He said that India supports all diplomatic efforts including the resumption of talks between Ukraine and the Russian Federation to end the conflict which has impacted the whole world."The conflict is having a destabilising effect with broader regional and global implications. The increasing oil prices and shortage of food grains and fertilizer are having a disproportionate impact on the global south. The EU should play a leading role in alleviating the adverse impact of the Ukraine crisis in day to day life of people living in vulnerable countries."The deputy envoy also said that India and the EU share a common interest in ensuring security prosperity and sustainable development in the multipolar world."India has advocated the need for reformed multilateralism. We have been consistent in calling for meaningful and comprehensive reform of the global multilateral architecture including the UN Security Council. EU has an important role to play in tackling global challenges with the UN and the core of multilateral efforts." "The contribution of the EU to the progress of global discourse on climate change and sustainable development goals has been noteworthy. We need to find a balanced approach to continue to meet these challenges without burdening the developing countries," Ravindra said.&nbsp;—ANI

India on Friday (local time) called on the EU to collectively fight against terrorism and emphasised the need to resolve the Ukraine conflict in order to resolve the peace and security challenges at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

India Calls On EU To Fight Against Terrorism, Resolve Ukraine Conflict

Islamabad : Pakistan has again blocked India's attempt to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which it is showcasing as its diplomatic success against New Delhi. India lacked minimum support from other member states of the UNSC's global forum to become the permanent member, while Pakistan's stance of opposing the UNSC membership to India and urging for a continuation of debate on the criteria of the membership was accepted.Pakistan has maintained and emphasized a definite period of UNSC permanent membership and its election after every two or five years, an argument that is part of the ongoing debate at the UNSC. Reports detail that Pakistan opposed India's attempt to become UNSC permanent member as it accused New Delhi of violating UNSC resolutions. "India lacks getting a two-third majority in the UN Charter, whereas, the Indian group also loses the backing of the United States (US)," media reports suggest."India has also failed to meet the criteria for becoming a UNSC permanent member despite claiming to be a secular and strong economy," Pakistan maintained. It should be noted that India is in need of getting the support of at least 129 member states for becoming a permanent member. However, diplomatic sources stated that India failed to get the support of even half of the required number of states."Pakistan's stance was supported by the Arab league and the African Union," said a diplomatic source. During April this year, Pakistan had highlighted the need for flexibility to achieve the required consensus among all UN member states to overcome the stalemate in the long-running negotiations to restructure the UN Security Council. Pakistan Ambassador at the UN Munir Akram said that the slow pace of progress in Security Council reform is not due to any deficiency in the process or procedure but it was due to what he termed as "inflexibility of a few individual states which have come into these negotiations with a pre-demand end goal of fulfilling their national ambitions to secure an elevated and privileged position within the Security Council, regardless of the principle of sovereign equality of states".The debate over the Security Council reforms started in February 2009, where various categories of membership were brought on the table for open discussion. The power to veto, regional representation, size of an enlarged Security Council and working methods of the council with reference to relationship with the General Assembly, have been debated among the member states. Pakistan maintains that the process towards restructuring of the Security Council remains blocked as India, Brazil, Germany and Japan aka G-4 states keep pushing for permanent seats in the Council, while Italy and Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UFC) group opposes any additional permanent members. --- (IANS)

Pakistan has again blocked India's attempt to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which it is showcasing as its diplomatic success against New Delhi. India lacked minimum support from other member states of the UNSC's global forum to become the permanent member, while Pakistan's stance of opposing the UNSC membership to India and urging for a continuation of debate on the criteria of the membership was accepted.

 Pakistan blocks India's attempt for UNSC membership

Islamabad: Pakistan has again blocked India’s attempt to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which it is showcasing as its diplomatic success against New Delhi.India lacked minimum support from other member states of the UNSC’s global forum to become the permanent member, while Pakistan’s stance of opposing the UNSC membership to India and urging for a continuation of debate on the criteria of the membership was accepted.Pakistan has maintained and emphasized a definite period of UNSC permanent membership and its election after every two or five years, an argument that is part of the ongoing debate at the UNSC. Reports detail that Pakistan opposed India’s attempt to become UNSC permanent member as it accused New Delhi of violating UNSC resolutions. “India lacks getting a two-third majority in the UN Charter, whereas, the Indian group also loses the backing of the United States (US),” media reports suggest.“India has also failed to meet the criteria for becoming a UNSC permanent member despite claiming to be a secular and strong economy,” Pakistan maintained.It should be noted that India is in need of getting the support of at least 129 member states for becoming a permanent member. However, diplomatic sources stated that India failed to get the support of even half of the required number of states. “Pakistan’s stance was supported by the Arab league and the African Union,” said a diplomatic source. During April this year, Pakistan had highlighted the need for flexibility to achieve the required consensus among all UN member states to overcome the stalemate in the long-running negotiations to restructure the UN Security Council.&nbsp;Pakistan Ambassador at the UN Munir Akram said that the slow pace of progress in Security Council reform is not due to any deficiency in the process or procedure but it was due to what he termed as “inflexibility of a few individual states which have come into these negotiations with a pre-demand end goal of fulfilling their national ambitions to secure an elevated and privileged position within the Security Council, regardless of the principle of sovereign equality of states”. The debate over the Security Council reforms started in February 2009, where various categories of membership were brought on the table for open discussion. The power to veto, regional representation, size of an enlarged Security Council and working methods of the council with reference to relationship with the General Assembly, have been debated among the member states.Pakistan maintains that the process towards restructuring of the Security Council remains blocked as India, Brazil, Germany and Japan aka G-4 states keep pushing for permanent seats in the Council, which Italy and Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UFC) group opposes any additional permanent members.—IANS

 Pakistan has again blocked India’s attempt to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which it is showcasing as its diplomatic success against New Delhi.

Pak Blocks India's Attempt For UNSC Membership

New York: The Ministers participating in the India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Cooperative Forum (IBSA) held discussions on several global and regional issues, including cooperation in multilateral organizations, UNSC reform, climate change and the Ukraine situation.
On the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, India hosted the 10th Ministerial Commission of Foreign Ministers of the IBSA. External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar met with his Brazilian counterpart Carlos Franca and South African Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla. The trio reaffirmed the cooperation between India, Brazil and South Africa.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs statement, global issues such as cooperation in multilateral organizations, South-South cooperation, UNSC Reform, 2030 Agenda &amp; Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change, countering terrorism, financing for development, WTO, and G20 were discussed. While Regional including African Union, the Middle East Peace Process, and the situation in Ukraine were discussed in the meeting.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired the meeting on September 21. As per the ministry, the Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of IBSA cooperation. They welcomed new initiatives within IBSA, such as the inaugural meeting of the IBSA National Security Advisors, the launch of cooperation amongst the Development Cooperation Agencies in the form of IBSA Working Group on International/Trilateral Development Partnerships and the inaugural IBSA Senior Officials Meeting on Traditional Medicines.
IBSA exemplifies the spirit of South-South cooperation. The IBSA Fund is a special feature of the IBSA collaboration. It has since its inception, allocated over USD44 million, supporting 39 South-South cooperation development projects in 35 partner countries, the majority being Least Developed Countries. The Ministers supported the legitimate aspiration of African countries to have a permanent presence in the UNSC and supported Brazil's and India's endeavour to occupy permanent seats in the Security Council. The Ministers also noted the upcoming G20 Presidencies of India and Brazil in 2023 and 2024, as useful opportunities to cooperate and steer the G20 Agenda and work with a developmental perspective, the MEA said.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar, on day 3 interacted with his counterparts of four countries. He met with his Estonia counterpart Urmas Reinsalu, Norway Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt, Bolivia's Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
Jaishankar will address world leaders at the General Assembly on Saturday, after which he will leave for Washington and a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. —ANI

The Ministers participating in the India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Cooperative Forum (IBSA) held discussions on several global and regional issues, including cooperation in multilateral organizations, UNSC reform, climate change and the Ukraine situation.

Regional, Global Issues Discussed In 10th IBSA Ministerial Meet Hosted By India

New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday stated that there is greater support for India's case to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council and that there is a broad global consensus over the need to reform the Council.
"I do believe that each passing year, I sense in the world that there is greater and greater support for India to be there (UNSC)." The Minister said that a reform particularly as it does not reflect the realities of the world, asserting that an expanded Council is not only in India's favour but also in favour of other unrepresented areas.
"Within a few years India will be the third largest economy in the world, it will be the most populous society and not to have such a country in the council- it's obvious it's not good for us, but I also think it's good for the global council," Jaishankar said while speaking at the Columbia University, New York.
Earlier, he also said that it is in the mutual interest of India and China to find a way to accommodate each other as the "Rise of Asia" is contingent on the economies of the two countries getting along well.
"The biggest thing we have seen in the world is the rise of China. It has risen in a dramatic manner. It's in mutual interest to accommodate each other because the rise of Asia is contingent on the three biggest economies getting along with each other," said Jaishankar at an event at Columbia University.
Over the last three days, Jaishankar has met with envoys and heads of states from around the world on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and has more than 50 official engagements in total. The highlights of Jaishankar's meetings particularly with developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Small Islands are sharply focused on the reform of the UN Security Council. " We do command the confidence and trust of a very large part of the world. I do not want to compare it with the current permanent 5 (P5) but I would say a lot of countries, perhaps think that we speak for them with a high degree of empathy and accuracy," Jaishankar added. Jaishankar will address world leaders at the General Assembly on Saturday, after which he will leave for Washington and a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. —ANI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday stated that there is greater support for India's case to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council and that there is a broad global consensus over the need to reform the Council.

India Has Growing Support For UNSC Permanent Membership: Jaishankar

New York: India raised concern on Monday at the Security Council about the suspension of the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain initiative, saying that this move is likely to further exacerbate the food security, fuel, and fertilizer supply challenges faced by the world.
Indian diplomat R Madhu Sudan said the Black Sea Grain deal had provided a glimmer of hope for peace in Ukraine and helped contribute to lowering the prices of wheat and other commodities.
"The initiative had resulted in export of more than nine million tonnes of grains and other food products out of Ukraine. We believe the exports had contributed to lowering prices of wheat and other commodities, evident from the drop in the FAO Food Price Index," said Madhu Sudan, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, at the UNSC briefing debate on Ukraine.
"The suspension of the Black Sea Grain initiative is expected to further exacerbate the food security, fuel and fertilizer supply challenges faced by the world, particularly the Global South," he added. The UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed during a ceremony in Istanbul in July. Under the deal, ships transporting grain from three Ukrainian ports travel along an agreed corridor to markets worldwide.
This UNSC debate comes after Russia requested the meeting following its decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative "for an unspecified period of time", announced this past weekend, in response to alleged Ukrainian attacks against its ships.
Counsellor Madhu Sudan said India supports the engagement of the Secretary-General with the parties on renewal and full implementation of the initiative, including facilitating of exports of food and fertilizer from Ukraine and Russia.
"The Black Sea Grain initiative and its successful implementation over the last four months is consistent with India's long-standing position that diplomacy and dialogue is the only solution to end this ongoing conflict that has resulted in serious consequences for the region and beyond," he said while adding that India continues to support all efforts, including that of the Secretary-General, to end the conflict.
On Monday, UN officials told the Security Council the landmark agreement to export grain and related foodstuffs from Ukraine must be kept alive amid the ongoing war and the global cost of living crisis.
"Ukraine's grain exports are not a food aid operation. They do operate as a huge lever on price, with positive ripple effects throughout the world. New security allegations are a cause of grave concern to the Secretary-General and many Member States are worried now that the deal is in trouble," said UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths.
According to UN News, Ukraine and Russia account for roughly 30 per cent of the world's exported wheat and barley, one-fifth of its maize, and over half of its sunflower oil. Russia is also the world's largest exporter of fertilizers, accounting for 15 per cent of global exports. —ANI

India raised concern on Monday at the Security Council about the suspension of the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain initiative, saying that this move is likely to further exacerbate the food security, fuel, and fertilizer supply challenges faced by the world.

Suspension Of Black Sea Grain Deal To Affect Food Security Globally: India At UNSC

United Nations: India has abstained on yet another resolution involving Ukraine, this time a motion sponsored by Russia at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that sought to establish a commission to investigate claims by Moscow that the United States and Ukraine are carrying out 'military biological activities' in laboratories in Ukraine in violation of the biological weapons convention.
The resolution failed to get adopted Wednesday as only two Council members -- Russia and China -- voted in its favour, while the US, the United Kingdom and France voted against it and the other Council members, including India, abstained.
In the explanation of the vote, Counsellor A Amarnath from India's Permanent Mission to the UN said India attaches high importance to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), which is the first non-discriminatory disarmament treaty banning a complete category of weapons of mass destruction.
"We remain committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the BWC and strengthening its implementation in letter and spirit," he said.
Amarnath said that India also reiterates the need to negotiate a comprehensive legally binding protocol providing for an effective, universal and non-discriminatory verification mechanism to strengthen the implementation of the Convention.
"This is necessary to strengthen the BWC and its implementation by the State Parties and we hope the current situation will provide an impetus for early consideration, negotiation and finalisation of such a protocol by the State Parties. Factoring in all these aspects, India has decided to abstain from the resolution," he said.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, in her statement on the UNSC resolution proposed by Russia on alleged bioweapons in Ukraine, said Washington 'voted against this resolution because it is based on disinformation, dishonesty, bad faith, and a total lack of respect for this body'. She said Russia has failed to provide any credible evidence to support these false allegations.
"And as you can see from the vote today, no one is buying it except China. I will not devote any more time, energy, or resources to these lies from Russia. Nor should the rest of the Security Council. Not while troops still occupy Ukrainian territory. And not while Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian civilians and commit war crimes. Instead of letting Russia waste our time, we should focus on the truth and the horrors Russia has inflicted upon the Ukrainian people."
Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy, speaking before the UNSC vote, said the vote 'will mark an important milestone for the Security Council'. In his statement after the resolution failed to get adopted, Polyanskiy said Moscow 'will continue to act within the BTWC (Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention) framework and make the necessary efforts to establish all the facts related to the violation by the United States and Ukraine of obligations under the BTWC in the context of the activities of biological laboratories on Ukrainian territory. Sooner or later, all perpetrators will have to be accountable for such illegal activities in front of the global community anyway'.
Referring to comments by Polyanskiy, Thomas-Greenfield said, 'Russia said this is a milestone. It is. It is a milestone for Russia's deception and lies. And the world sees it. An overwhelming number of the States Parties that spoke at the Geneva meeting considered that the issues raised by Russia were unsubstantiated and had been conclusively addressed. But that wasn't enough for Russia.'
Amarnath noted that India had participated in consultations in Geneva in September on the matter under consideration and had expressed its views on this issue and had also expressed them during the meetings of the Council earlier. "I reiterate that any matter relating to the obligations under the BWC should be addressed as per the provisions of the Convention and through consultations and cooperation between the relevant parties," Amarnath said. Amarnath added that India would like to underline the important role of international cooperation in the field of peaceful biological activities and the related exchange of scientific and technical information.
"India emphasises the full and effective implementation of Article 10 of the Convention and underlines that biological related activities for peaceful purposes that are fully consistent with the Convention's obligations should not be undermined," he said.
Last week, Russian Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia said at a Security Council meeting that Moscow will put forward the draft resolution that will call for setting up and dispatching a commission to investigate the claims against the US and Ukraine regarding compliance with their obligations under the (BTWC) and activities of biological laboratories in the territory of Ukraine.
Nebenzia has said that over a long time, Russia has repeatedly expressed concern over 'military biological activities carried out with the most direct assistance and participation of the US Department of Defence (DoD) in laboratories in the territories of the former Soviet republics away from the North American continent and close to the Russian borders'. He has said that such activities are conducted 'inter alia indirectly through the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and private companies that are permanent contractors of the US DoD...This poses a direct threat to the biological security' of Russia. "In the course of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Federation obtained a variety of documents and evidence that disclosed the true nature of military biological activities of the US DoD and its contractors with Ukraine in the military biological area," he has said. —PTI

 India has abstained on yet another resolution involving Ukraine, this time a motion sponsored by Russia at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that sought to establish a commission to investigate claims by Moscow that the United States and Ukraine are carrying out 'military biological activities' in laboratories in Ukraine in violation of the biological weapons convention.

India Abstains On Russian Resolution Against Ukraine At UNSC

India has abstained on yet another resolution involving Ukraine, this time a motion sponsored by Russia at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that sought to establish a commission to investigate claims by Moscow that the United States and Ukraine are carrying out 'military biological activities' in laboratories in Ukraine in violation of the biological weapons convention.

United Nations (The Hawk): Brazil's Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant was chosen by the UN Security Council (UNSC), which met concurrently with the General Assembly but separately from it, to serve on the International Court of Justice until February 5, 2027.
According to the Xinhua news agency, Brant will take over the bench immediately after Judge Antonio Augusto Cancado Trindade of Brazil passed away on May 29.
According to the court's statute, a candidate is deemed elected if they receive an absolute majority of votes in both the Security Council and General Assembly.
The Security Council does not distinguish between its permanent and non-permanent members, and eight votes equal an absolute majority.
In contrast, the General Assembly's 193 member states all have voting rights.
Therefore, in the General Assembly, 97 votes are required for an election to pass with an absolute majority. One of the main US institutions is the International Court of Justice, which has its headquarters in The Hague.
The World Court, often known as the International Court of Justice, is a UN body that renders advisory judgments on legal issues brought up by other UN bodies or organisations.
There are 15 judges on the court, and five of them are chosen every three years.
A judge is elected to fill the remaining months of the term in the event of a death or other vacancy.
(Inputs from Agencies)

Brazil's Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant was chosen by the UN Security Council (UNSC), which met concurrently with the General Assembly but separately from it, to serve on the International Court of Justice until February 5, 2027.

Judge chosen by the UNSC for the International Court of Justice

Kabul: Claiming that an isolating approach of Taliban would do no good to Afghanistan and its people, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate Bilal Karimi called out the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to lift all the sanctions related to travel bans, saying there should be a less gap between the Islamic Emirate and the world, TOLOnews reported on Friday.
"An isolating approach would not work and there should be less of a gap between the Islamic Emirate and the world," Taliban's Deputy Spokesperson Bilal Karimi said.
Earlier in September, Human Rights Watch urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) not to extend the existing government officials' travel exemption as a result of the closure of girls' schools in Afghanistan and the Taliban's atrocities against women and girls in the war-torn nation. "The Islamic Emirate always works to minimize gaps: isolationist policies, and policies that create gaps and lead to problems. History has shown that did not produce any results, I mean positive results," Karimi added, TOLOnews reported.
The UN Security Council hasn't renewed the Taliban leaders' exemption from the travel ban in more than three months.
TOLOnews reported citing various international relations specialists that the Taliban's failure to address the demands of the international community is what prevented the extension of the travel exemption for its officials.
"The Taliban should respond to the demands of the international community as a standard country and a standard government," said a former diplomat, Aziz Marij.
According to the analysts, one of the key reasons for not extending the travel exemption for officials of the Islamic Emirate is the failure of the Taliban to implement the Doha Agreement.
"The Taliban group failed to uphold its obligations to the international community and the Afghan people, one of which is to respect Afghan citizens' fundamental rights," said Nematullah Bizhan, international relations expert.
Human Rights Watch also urged the United Nations not to extend the existing government officials' travel exemption and demanded how they should be taking care of the intense women's rights crisis in Afghanistan.
The Security Council should permanently end all exemptions to the travel bans that are covering and restricting some Taliban leaders. The Security Council should be looking to add more Taliban leaders to the list of people subject to travel bans and to add other measures and based on their involvement in human rights violations," said the associate director of the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch, Heather Barr.
Earlier, the UN Security Council (UNSC) gave leaders of the Islamic Emirate exemptions to travel bans to facilitate their negotiations with the US despite its long-standing international travel ban on the Taliban leaders. Moreover, in an earlier statement, HRW's Barr said the Taliban rollback of the rights of women and girls began immediately after they took power on August 15, 2021. An extraordinary national economic, financial, and humanitarian crisis has aggravated the human rights situation since the Taliban took control of Kabul last year. Large-scale violence has been unleashed since the US soldiers left the country, causing political unrest in many regions of the nation.
According to UNAMA, at least 59 per cent of the population currently requires humanitarian aid, an increase of 6 million people since the beginning of 2021. —ANI

Claiming that an isolating approach of Taliban would do no good to Afghanistan and its people, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate Bilal Karimi called out the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to lift all the sanctions related to travel bans, saying there should be a less gap between the Islamic Emirate and the world, TOLOnews reported on Friday.

Taliban Calls Out UN Security Council To Permanently End All Travel Bans

New York: India is speaking to both sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, country's Permanent Representative at the United Nations Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj has said, asserting that New Delhi's position has not been 'passive' on the war.
The President of the Security Council for December said India has taken the side of peace and favours de-escalation through diplomacy and dialogue.
India on Thursday assumed the Presidency of the 15-nation UN Security Council for the month of December, during which it will host signature events on countering terrorism and reformed multilateralism.
The Presidency will bring the curtains down on India's two-year tenure as an elected non-permanent member of the powerful UN organ.
Responding to a question at a press briefing, Kamboj asserted that New Delhi shares an important relationship with Moscow.
"India is too big a country. It stands tall and proud on its own. In the course of the conflict in Ukraine, we have been very clear and consistent right from the outset. We have spoken in one voice that we are for peace. Peace is also a side and we favor diplomacy and dialogue," Kamboj said.
Kamboj was responding to remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that NATO was trying to drag India into what he called an anti-Russian and anti-Chinese alliance and on India's relations with Russia and the West during the Ukraine war.
She said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are 'speaking to both sides'.
"We are among the few countries, dare I say, which are speaking to both sides," she said, adding that Modi's comment that 'this is not an era of war' has received global acceptance and even found its way into the G20 declaration that was recently adopted in Bali.
India has been very mindful of the humanitarian situation and has shipped 12 medical consignments to Ukraine and given financial assistance to build educational institutions, she said.
"At the same time, we do have a relationship with Russia, an important relationship with Russia. And as far as the relationship with the United States is concerned, it's a comprehensive strategic partnership, which has never been closer, tighter, or stronger than it is today," she said.
When asked if India does not feel like NATO is trying to drag it into an anti-Russian or anti-Chinese alliance, Kamboj said, "I've just answered your question. We are a country that stands tall and proud and stands tall and proud on its own."
On India's approach as the UNSC President towards dealing with the issue of Ukraine, she said: "We will continue to engage with all parties."
"I think that is one of our strengths and it has been recognised as one of our strengths that we are a voice of moderation, a voice of reason and a bridge-builder. And we will walk the talk in the December presidency," Kamboj said.
Responding to a question on if enough is being done to bring Ukrainians and Russians to the negotiating table, Kamboj said, 'definitely there is an attempt and everything is not played out in the public domain as you can understand'.
"Parties are talking, people are talking, and everybody wants to de-escalate the situation. And we very much hope that sooner or later, this effort to de-escalate will succeed," she said.
She noted that India 'has been talking to both sides, is talking to both sides' and hopes that the situation de-escalates.
Kamboj did not answer the question on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's remarks at the high-level United Nations General Assembly session on some member states taking a neutral stance, saying it is not for her to comment on that statement.
"Our country has not been passive. Our country has stated very clearly that we have a position - that is we have taken the side of peace and we favor diplomacy and dialogue and we favor de-escalation and an early end to the conflict," she said.
India has also condemned the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in the course of the conflict, no matter who commits this.
New Delhi has stated very clearly that this conflict has had an immense impact and suffering on countries of the global South.
"And there, we've not been idle either. We have extended a helping hand despite constraints in our own country, helping Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan, Yemen and Sri Lanka," she said.
"So by any standard, this is not the stand of a country that is passive. This is the stand of a country that is creative, caring, contributory, that is willing to bring solutions to the global top table," she said.
Kamboj stressed that India has been very conscious of the fact that the conflict has had a very severe impact on the global South.
"There has, in fact, been collateral damage there and we have stated this, unhesitatingly so, in all our statements," she said. India has been ready to help its friends and partners in need and going forward, it will continue to do so, she asserted.
Kamboj said Ukraine is very much a focused matter in the Security Council and the UN body could meet during the month on the issue.
Noting that while a meeting or briefing on Ukraine is not yet listed in the Council's schedule for the month, Kamboj said 'rest assured the Security Council is very seized' of the matter and one should not be too surprised if it finds its way into the schedule.
She said the Council is actively following developments in both Ukraine and Haiti.
Referring to Prime Minister Modi's remarks in the context of India's G20 presidency, she said India will work towards unity. "When we say that the world is one, we mean that humankind is one and we are here to help each other. It is in that spirit that India has been extending humanitarian assistance, and is very effective as a first responder."
"So, we will continue to do that in the Council as well, to be a bridge builder and to be a voice of moderation and reason. That is the India way," she said, adding that 'we will continue to work with a lot of positivity'. —PTI

India is speaking to both sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, country's Permanent Representative at the United Nations Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj has said, asserting that New Delhi's position has not been 'passive' on the war.

Not 'Passive' On Russia-Ukraine War: India At UNSC

United Nations (The Hawk): Wednesday's high-level ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) will be presided over by India's Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, who will advocate for restructuring the body to address the "multidimensional crises" facing the globe.He met with the president of the general assembly, Csaba Korosi, and the foreign minister of Japan, Yamada Kenji, on Tuesday to prepare for the meeting.Following their meeting, Korosi and Jaishankar both tweeted that they discussed UN changes.Japan is a part of the G4, a coalition of nations led by India, Brazil, and Japan that works to reform the Council and support one another's bids for permanent seats on a larger Council.India is utilising its authority as the Council's president in the final month of its two-year elected membership to bring the long-delayed and divisive subject directly before the Council's chamber."The multiple crises facing the globe today necessitate a representative multilateral architecture that is reflective of contemporary global realities and is well equipped to tackle the developing challenges," a message from India's Permanent Mission to the Council stated.Ministers or senior diplomats from Council members will attend the briefing by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Csaba on "Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism."Jaishankar will join Guterres and Csaba in revealing a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at UN headquarters before to the Council meeting.On Thursday, Jaishankar will preside over another notable occasion that will stress counterterrorism, another crucial problem for India.According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India will try to achieve "consensus among Council Members on the broad principles of a global counter-terror architecture and aim to further build upon the Delhi Declaration," which was adopted in New Delhi in October at a special meeting of the Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee, which India chairs.India is dedicated to ensuring their safety as the nation that has sent the most peacekeepers to the UN, and Jaishankar will form a global coalition to call for action against those responsible for attacking peacekeepers.Jaishankar will serve as co-chair of the new Group of Friends for Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers, which will also include co-chairs from Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco, and Nepal.To promote the consumption of the beneficial foodgrain for nourishing diets, India is supporting the "International Year of Millets, 2023."Jaishankar will throw a millet-based luncheon for Guterres to draw attention to it.India will address the issue of "What are the steps that need to be taken to ensure that the Security Council reflects the contemporary global realities, which would make it more effective in discharging its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security" at the Council meeting on reforms, according to the note from the Indian mission.The statement noted that the UN has grown from its original 55 members to 193 since its founding 75 years ago, but that the organisation has not kept up with how the world is evolving, with the last change in Council composition occurring in 1965 despite there being no change in the permanent membership.Since their millennium summit in 2005, world leaders have frequently called for reforms, but little has changed, according to the report. Even a negotiation document to forward the reform debates has not been agreed.The necessity for reforms in other UN bodies and other international organisations will also be discussed.(Inputs from Agencies)

Wednesday's high-level ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) will be presided over by India's Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, who will advocate for restructuring the body to address the "multidimensional crises" facing the globe.

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