Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Indian External Affairs Minister: Effective, More Representative UN Is Crucial UN
The world is fragmented, polarized and disillusioned, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told the UN General Assembly General Debate. Reforming multilateralism is therefore imperative, he stressed.
The UN cannot remain an anachronism
“But every change has to start somewhere. And there is no better place than where it all began,” the minister said, referring to the UN.
UN members, Jaishankar said, must now seriously and purposefully engage in reforming the global system. “Because if we continue in this vein, the state of the world will only deteriorate,” the minister noted.
He stressed that the UN must become the central platform for finding common ground.
“And that certainly cannot happen if it remains an anachronism,” Jaishankar said.
“An effective and efficient United Nations, a more representative United Nations, is essential,” he added.
Support for Women
India’s foreign minister said the gender gap in the country has started narrowing, be it in health, education or the workplace.
Under the employment and entrepreneurship programmes, 495 million Mudra loans have been provided to small businesses over the last decade, and 67 per cent of the beneficiaries are women.
6.56 million street vendors have benefited from 8.85 million Swanidhi loans in the last four years, and 45 percent of the beneficiaries were women.
Conflicts must be resolved
Jaishankar said the world cannot be “fatalistic” about the current conflicts and they must be resolved.
Referring to the war against Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza, he stressed that the international community is seeking “urgent solutions.”
“The UN is a testament to the agreed principles and common goals of the world order. Respect for international law and obligations is a cardinal principle in this regard,” the minister said.
“If we are to ensure global security and stability, it is important that those who aspire to leadership set the right example,” he added.
Need to Counter Terrorism
Jaishankar stressed the need to decisively counter terrorism.
“UN sanctions against global terrorists should also not be hampered by political reasons. Many countries are being left behind due to circumstances beyond their control. But some are making deliberate choices with disastrous consequences. “Our neighbour Pakistan is the prime example,” the minister said.
He accused the state of “instilling fanaticism in its people” and of pursuing a policy of “cross-border terrorism” which he said would never succeed.
Jaishankar said Pakistan should liberate “illegally occupied Indian territories” and give up its “attachment to terrorism.”