Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Friday night 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 World War II 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 on Friday, 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”.
Modi said that he represents a culture that refers to the Earth as “mother” and that India in the next seven years will create 175 GW of renewable energy capacity.
“I represent that culture that calls the earth ‘Ma’. The Vedas says that the Earth is the mother and we are its sons,” he said in his address, made in Hindi.
He said India has outlined ambitious programmes to fight climate change. Besides creating 175 GW renewable energy capacity, the country would also stress on energy efficiency, tree plantation, coal tax, clean environment, cleaning up of rivers, waste to wealth movement and sustainable development.
Narendra Modi had previously pledged that India would make the increase by the next time he faces election in 2020, but on Friday he acknowledged that it would take longer than planned and said it would take seven years.
He said eradication of poverty must remain the biggest responsibility as without it the world peace, just systems and sustainable development cannot be possible.
Earlier, Modi met UN chief Ban Ki-moon here as the world body adopted an ambitious agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aiming to tackle global challenges like poverty and hunger over the next 15 years.
Modi met the UN Secretary-General ahead of his speech at the SDG summit.
“Discussing development @UN. @secgen Ban Ki Moon calls on PM @narendramodi before he speaks at UN SDG Summit,” MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.
“Recording the nation’s bond to @UN. PM @narendramodi presents a book on India & the UN to @secgen Ban Ki-Moon,” Swarup said.
The SDGs or global goals, including assuring gender equality and building a life of dignity for all, were adopted as global leaders descended at the UN headquarters on the historic occasion of the world body’s landmark 70th anniversary session.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the new development agenda after years of intense negotiations.
In a letter to Ban recently, Modi had said that the historic 70th year of the UN must be used to send an “unambiguous message” of “zero tolerance against terrorism”, citing the threats posed by “non-state military actors”.
“The United Nations must be made more effective for dealing with the new security challenges. The United Nations was born out of the ashes of the Second World War when conflict was an inter-state phenomenon.”
He had also called for the adoption of a comprehensive convention against international terrorism this year.
Modi said for 70 years the world has remained a “better place” because of the UN but the world has changed dramatically since 1945.
Calling for Security Council reforms, he wrote that “we have to remind ourselves that we need to seize this moment to rethink how the multilateral system can be made more inclusive, more effective and, ultimately, better fit for the purpose it was conceived”.