Tag: Second World War

UNSC Claim To Speak For World When Largest Democracy Is Not Permanent: Modi

By LokMarg

Making a strong pitch for India’s permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the primary UN body cannot claim to be speaking for the world when its most populous country and the largest democracy is not a permanent member.

He made the remark during an interview with French newspaper ‘Les Echos’ ahead of his two-day official visit to France that begins later on Thursday.
On whether the credibility of UN was at stake, with India still not finding permanent membership of the UNSC, Prime Minister Modi said the UN was one of many global institutions that were founded in the wake of the Second World War, and it has to be seen whether they are representative of today’s world, which has transformed a lot in the last eight decades.

Further, speaking to Les Echos, PM Modi said, “The issue is not just of credibility, but something much larger. I believe that the world needs to have an honest discussion about the multilateral governance structures that were built in the aftermath of second World War.”

He added that nearly eight decades after the institutions were created, the world has transformed, the number of member-countries have grown four-fold and the character of the global economy has also changed.

“We live in an era of new technology. New powers have risen causing a relative shift in global balance. We face new challenges, including climate change, cyber security, terrorism, space security, pandemics. I could go on about the changes. In this changed world, many questions arise – are these representative of today’s world? Are they able to discharge the roles for which they were set up? Do countries around the world feel that these organizations matter, or are relevant?” PM Modi said.

He said, “How can the UN Security Council claim to be speaking for the world, when its most populous country and largest democracy is not a permanent member?”

“The UN Security Council, in particular, epitomises this dissonance. How can we talk of it as a primary organ of a global body, when entire continents of Africa and Latin America are ignored? How can it claim to speak for the world when its most populous country, and its largest democracy, is not a permanent member? And its skewed member-ship leads to opaque decision making processes, which adds to its helplessness in ad-dressing the challenges of today,” he added.

Appreciating the position of France in the matter, Prime Minister Modi said the voices of all countries must be heard with respect to proposed changes to the UN Security Council.

“I think most countries are clear on what changes they would like to see in the UN Security Council, including on the role India should play. We just need to listen to their voice and heed their advice. I must appreciate the clear and consistent position that France has taken in this matter,” he added.

Earlier, on Thursday, PM Modi embarked on the visit to France at the invitation of President Marcon.

He will be the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade of France on July 14, where the tri-services of the Indian armed forces contingent will be participating.

Three Rafale fighters will also perform a flypast in the parade.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the India–France Strategic Partnership and Prime Minister’s visit will provide an opportunity to chart the course of the partnership for the future across diverse sectors such as strategic, cultural, scientific, academic and economic cooperation.

During his France visit from July 13-14, PM Modi will hold formal talks with President Emmanuel Macron. Macron will host a State Banquet as well as a private dinner in honour of the Prime Minister.

Also, during his visit, PM Modi will meet the Indian diaspora and leading CEOs from both nations. (ANI)

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UK Supports India's Bid For A Permanent Seat At UNSC: British High Commissioner

UK Supports India’s Bid For A Permanent Seat At UNSC: British High Commissioner

By LokMarg

The United Kingdom supports India’s candidacy for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), British High Commissioner Alexander Ellis said while adding that New Delhi’s push for reforms will make the institution more effective in dealing with the realities of today.

In ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Editor-in-Chief, the British High Commissioner said, “We certainly support India becoming the member of the UNSC as this is why the UNSC reforms are the institutional that reflects to the realities of today.”
“Change in the institution (UNSC) is hard and we need to make them work. Some of them come after the Second World War like UN and UNSC, some came later like World Trade Organization (WTO)… zenith of globalization, the mid-90s and what we want from India is actually to make the effective institution,” he added.

He also gave the example of the International Financial Institutions (IFI) which is the product of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and said that the countries are adapting those to realities of today. He also said that India, for example had also lend money.

British High Commissioner also said that vulnerable states like island nations need greater support so that they can create an impact in the world and hard work is the key to that lock.

“Change in the multilateralisation is hard work. What we are seeing is the creation of new institutions which we will start more,” Ellis said in a podcast with ANI’s Editor-in-Chief.

He also gave the example of the Clinical Trials Registry – India, which is majorly created with the support of UK.

“India will increasingly be part of all of those (Indo-Pacific group, multilateralism) things and including in panel so UK and India but also with other countries try to solve the particular problem,” British High Commissioner said.

On December 1, India assumed the monthly rotating presidency of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the second time in its two-year tenure as an elected member of the Council in 2021-22.

India had earlier assumed UNSC presidency in August 2021.

During its December Presidency, India held a “high-level open debate” on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism (NORMS)” at the Security Council.

Earlier on December 14, The UK extended support for India’s permanent membership at the UNSC.

Dame Barbara Woodward, the UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations said, “The Security Council must as others have said become more representative of the world today and the UK has long called for its expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, as the UK Foreign Secretary publicly reiterated this week – we support new permanent seats for Brazil, Germany, India and Japan.”

The UN Security Council is the premier global body for maintaining International peace and security. The Security Council, the United Nations’ principal crisis-management body, is empowered to impose binding obligations on the 193 UN member states to maintain peace.

The council’s five permanent and ten elected members meet regularly to assess threats to international security, including civil wars, natural disasters, arms proliferation, and terrorism.

Structurally, the council remains largely unchanged since its founding in 1946, stirring debate among members about the need for reforms.

The UN Security Council is composed of 15 members, including five permanent member states – China, France, Russian Federation, the United States, and the United Kingdom – and 10 non-permanent member states, which are elected by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). (ANI)