Focus on maritime security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism
India on Sunday assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a month starting August 1. As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, during this period the country is expected to host events in three major areas of maritime security, peacekeeping and counterterrorism during the month.
The event marked the 10th time that India assumed the rotating presidency after completing nine tenures earlier from 1950 to 2012.
Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar tweeted that India is looking forward to “working productively with other members”.
“India will always be a voice of moderation, an advocate of dialogue and a proponent of international law,” Jaishankar said.
Reacting to India assuming the UNSC presidency, Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev said, “Truly impressed with the agenda, which embraces pressing global issues including maritime security, peacekeeping & counter-terrorism”.
Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain tweeted, “Delighted that India is today taking over #UNSC presidency from France. We are committed to working with India on strategic issues as maritime security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism, and upholding a rules-based, multilateral system to face today’s many ongoing crises
Earlier, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti had called the takeover an “honour”.
“It is a singular honour for us to be presiding over the Security Council the same month when we are celebrating our 75th Independence Day,” Tirumurti said in a video message on the eve of India assuming the rotating Presidency of the powerful 15-nation UN body.
The first working day of India’s presidency will be Monday, August 2 when Tirumurti will hold a hybrid Press briefing in the UN headquarters on the Council’s programme of work for the month.
Tirumurti will also provide a briefing for member states of the United Nations which are non-members of the Council on its work for the month, according to a schedule released by the UN. India will again preside over the Council in December next year, the last month of its two-year tenure.
During its presidency, India will be organising high-level signature events in three major areas — maritime security, peacekeeping and counterterrorism. In the video message, Tirumurti said maritime security has a high priority for India “and it is important for the Security Council to take a holistic approach to this issue”.
Peacekeeping is a topic “close to our hearts, given our own long and pioneering involvement” with peacekeeping, he said, adding that India will focus on how to ensure the safety of peacekeepers, especially by using better technology and how to bring perpetrators of crimes against peacekeepers to justice.
As a country that has been at the forefront in the fight against terrorism, India will continue to keep the spotlight on counter-terrorism.