JOIN USCOVID-19 crisis will test the world like never before: S Jaishankar
The COVID-19 pandemic and its grave economic repercussions will test the world like never before, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, as he launched India’s campaign as a candidate for one of the five non-permanent seats of the United Nations Security Council.
The election to the five of 10 non-permanent members of the UN Security Council is scheduled to take place on June 17 next. India, being the single endorsed candidate of the Asia-Pacific Group, is sure to win one of the seats unopposed and commence its two-year-term on the Horse Shoe Table in January 2021.
Jaishankar launched a brochure outlining India’s priorities during what is going to be its eighth term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC.
“Ten years since we were last elected in the UN Security Council, we are facing four very different challenges to international peace and security,” he said.
He noted that that firstly, the normal process of international governance had been under increasing strain as frictions had increased, secondly, traditional and non-traditional security challenges continue to grow unchecked with terrorism was the most egregious of such examples, thirdly global institutions remain unreformed and under-representative and hence less able to deliver and fourthly and finally the COVID-19 pandemic and its grave economic repercussions would test the world like never before.
“In this extraordinary situation, India can play a positive global role. We have always been a voice of reason and a votary of international law,” said the External Affairs Minister. “We advocate dialogue, consultation and fairness in our approach to global issues. And we emphasize global development, addressing climate change and eradicating of poverty as central to planet’s future.”
He said that India, as a non-permanent UNSC member, would seek a ‘New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System’ or NORMS through a 5S mantra - Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), Shanti (Peace) and Samriddhi (Prosperity).