India has stressed the need for broader cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to "fully disrupt" terror organisations and networks and take strong measures against those who provide sanctuary to terrorists.
India became a full member of the SCO in June 2017 after an administrative process that began two years prior.
Strengthening regional security, economic cooperation, transit and energy linkages and deepening of cultural ties are some of the areas where cooperation between the UN and the SCO will contribute positively, India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Tanmaya Lal said.
"The fight against terrorism and drug trafficking can be an important area of broader cooperation between the United Nations and the SCO," he said at the 2nd High-Level Special Event on UN and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Cooperation.
Lal said it is only through collective cooperation that the international community will be able to "fully disrupt the terror organisations and networks, identify and hold accountable, and take strong measures against those who encourage, support and finance terrorism and provide sanctuary to terrorists."
He said India looks forward to an increased cooperation and the signing of the MoU between the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure and the UN's Office for Counter-Terrorism.
"Strengthening regional security, economic cooperation, transit and energy linkages and deepening of cultural ties are some of the areas where cooperation between the UN and the SCO will contribute positively," he said.
Lal noted that the current global landscape is one of multiple conflicts and terrorism that are impacting security across borders.
"These and other challenges are straining the spirit of international cooperation. It is a time when multilateralism needs to be strengthened to ensure our collective peace and prosperity," he said.
He emphasised that the UN with its universal membership and various important regional organisations such as the SCO represent common endeavours to address the world’s common challenges. He added that the UN needs additional capabilities to deal with contemporary threats.
"Given the specialised knowledge functional expertise and understanding of regional contexts, organizations like SCO will be able to enhance the work of the UN in strengthening peace, security and stability," he said.
While the SCO is a comparatively young organisation, having been founded in 2001, Lal said it has been successful in contributing to managing the transition in the Central Asian region in the last two decades by enhancing the level of trust and security in the region.
"The SCO has focused on the fight against terrorism, which continues to be a major threat to global peace and security," he said adding that the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent is a useful mechanism for coordinated action against terrorism and drugs.
Lal underlined that India brings a range of capacities to the various SCO activities and remains committed to working with its partners both in the SCO and in the UN towards a better future for all.
