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UNSC is like an old club, says Jaishankar

In his address at an event in Bengaluru, Jaishankar said that the members of the “club” do not want their practices to be questioned…reports Asian Lite News

Taking a sharp dig at the United Nations Security Council, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it is like an “old club” where member nations are unwilling to admit new members as they perceive it as losing the grip.

In his address at the Rotary Institute 2023 event in Bengaluru on Sunday, Jaishankar said that the members of the “club” do not want their practices to be questioned.

“Security Council is like an old club, where there are set members who don’t want to let go of the grip. They want to keep control over the club. Not very keen to admit more members, not keen to have their practices questioned,” Jaishankar said.

Calling it a failure, the External Affairs Minister pointed out that with no reforms, the UN is getting less and less effective.

“In a way, it’s a human failing. But I think today it is harming the world. It is harming the world because, on key issues confronting the world, the UN is getting less and less effective,” Jaishankar said.

“And I can also tell you the global sentiment. I mean, today, if you ask 200 countries in the world, do you want reform or don’t you want reform? A very large number of countries would say, yes, we want reform…,” he said while emphasising that nations are urging for reforms efforts in the UN Security Council to deal with the prevailing challenges.

Earlier in September, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that the resistance of the United Nations to reform its structure, will eventually lead to the body being “anachronistic” and people will start finding solutions outside.

Jaishankar gave an “injudicious” reference of passengers sitting in a bus drawing a comparison with the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“I somewhere injudiciously…described it like a passenger in a bus. A person sitting on the seat, will not vacate it for the next person. So there are these five guys sitting. Sometimes, you see such passengers, you see someone is tired, someone is carrying a baby, they will not get up and give up that seat,” he had said.

Notably, reforms in the global systems have been an issue continuously raised by India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the global stage.

During his concluding address at the G20 Leaders Summit here in the national capital, PM Modi reiterated his stance of making global systems in accordance with the “realities of the present” and took the example of the United Nations Security Council.

“When the UN was established, the world at that time was completely different from today. At that time there were 51 founding members in the UN. Today the number of countries included in the UN is around 200. Despite this, the permanent members in UNSC are still the same,” the Prime Minister had underlined.

Earlier, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis has said there is need for a UN Security Council (UNSC) that is more balanced, more representative, more responsive, more democratic, and more transparent.

“As President of the General Assembly, I share the view that we need a Council that is more balanced, more representative, more responsive, more democratic, and more transparent,” Francis said while delivering his remarks at the ‘Perspectives on UN Security Council Reforms from Global South Think Tanks – The L-69 UN Security Council Reforms Event’.

He said conflicts are spreading across the globe. “The Security Council – whose primary responsibility is to maintain international peace and security – however, seems caught in a concerning state of paralysis,” he said.

He further said that the council with “the unsatisfactory discharge of its crucial mandate, is perceived as falling short of its mandate – consequently, compromising the credibility of the entire UN itself.”

The UNGA President said the UNSC’s continued inaction on matters that threaten international peace and security is damaging.

As per Francis, there is a need for new, innovative pathways for change.

“And in this regard, I welcome any innovative solutions emanating from exchanges such as these – to move forward the intergovernmental negotiations,” he said.

“While some of today’s challenges could not have been envisioned eight decades ago, the need for reform has been apparent for some time now. And, while the road to reform is a long and arduous one, I firmly believe a positive outcome is not only possible but achievable,” he added.

He further said that as the UNGA President, he is committed to facilitating dialogue among member states around this important topic.

“And I take this opportunity to urge member states to overcome entrenched positions and to move towards substantive progress – through genuine and good faith dialogue. Our objective must be to find and/or create ways to move beyond a perpetual stalemate,” he said.

“While it is ultimately up to Member States to find agreement, it is important that we hear the voices of the diverse stakeholders, including those here with us today,” Francis added. (ANI)

ALSO READ-US, Canada issues not same, says Jaishankar on pro-Khalistani issue

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UN Envoys Fly to Gaza Border

(Photo via Zhang Jun @ChinaAmbUN)

The United Nations Security Council delegation, consisting of twelve ambassadors, embarked on the visit to Rafah crossing organised by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

United Nations Security Council envoys visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Monday, expressing deep concern over the dire situation in the Gaza Strip and calling for an immediate end to the conflict. The Rafah crossing serves as the primary entry point for aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Zhang Jun, China’s representative to the UN, succinctly conveyed a message to nations opposing a Gaza cease-fire: “Enough is enough.”

The majority of UN member states advocate for a swift and enduring cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. The Security Council delegation, consisting of twelve envoys, embarked on the visit organised by the United Arab Emirates. This trip followed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ recent warning that thousands in Gaza were “simply starving.”

Arriving in Al-Arish, the envoys received briefings from the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA on the deteriorating conditions in Gaza before proceeding to Rafah, approximately 30 miles away.

Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s permanent representative to the UN, highlighted the alarming situation conveyed during the briefings. Palestinians in Gaza are reportedly facing malnutrition, a collapsing medical system, water and food shortages, in addition to the ongoing conflict. The envoys emphasised the urgent need for concerted international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis and bring about a lasting resolution to the conflict.

(Photo via Zhang Jun @ChinaAmbUN)

UNGA to Convene on Gaza

The emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the situation in Gaza is set to resume on Tuesday, as announced by UNGA President Dennis Francis, CNN reported.

This decision follows the United States’ veto of a UN Security Council resolution on Friday, which had called for a humanitarian ceasefire.

In a letter penned to the 193 UN member states, UNGA President Dennis Francis conveyed that representatives from Egypt and Mauritania, acting as the Chairs of the Arab Group and Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Group, respectively, had called for the special meeting on Tuesday, according to CNN.

They invoked UNGA resolution 377, known as “United for Peace,” which empowers the General Assembly to convene when the Security Council “fails to exercise its primary responsibility to act as required to maintain international peace and security.”

The joint letter from the representatives emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, “In the absence of a ceasefire and in light of the ongoing grave breaches of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and violations of the relevant United Nations resolutions… the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, particularly in the Gaza Strip, has continued to dramatically deteriorate.”

(Photo via Zhang Jun @ChinaAmbUN)

The emergency session is scheduled to begin at 3 pm ET on Tuesday, according to UNGA President Dennis Francis.

The US had exercised its veto power to block a UN resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The draft resolution, presented by the United Arab Emirates, had proposed “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” the release of all hostages, and ensuring humanitarian access. Thirteen countries supported the resolution, the US vetoed it, and the United Kingdom abstained.

Following this, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused the United States of being “responsible” for the bloodshed of children in Gaza after Washington vetoed a UN resolution calling for an ‘immediate ceasefire’, Times of Israel reported.”

He described the American position as aggressive and immoral, a flagrant violation of all humanitarian principles and values, and held the US responsible for the bloodshed of Palestinian children, women and elderly people in the Gaza Strip,” a statement from President Abbas’s office read.

This move came after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN charter, an unusual step that allowed him to call a Security Council meeting on an “issue that may aggravate existing threats to the maintenance of international peace and security.” Notably, this powerful tool had not been used since 1989, CNN reported. (with inputs from ANI)

ALSO READ: Israel bombards Gaza, including evacuation areas for Palestinians

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US veto derails UNSC efforts to halt war

The resolution was put forward by the UAE and backed by over 90 member states. 13 members of the UNSC voted in favour of the resolution, while the UK abstained…reports Asian Lite News

The US has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Gaza calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The resolution was put forward by the United Arab Emirates and backed by over 90 member states. 13 members of the UNSC voted in favour of the resolution, while the UK abstained from voting.

The US Deputy Representative at the UN, Robert Wood, stressed that the resolution is “divorced from reality” and “would not have moved the needle forward on the ground.”

He said, “Unfortunately, nearly all of our recommendations were ignored. And the result of this rushed process was an imbalanced resolution that was divorced from reality and that would not move the needle forward on the ground in any concrete way. And so, we regretfully could not support it.”

Robert Wood said the US could not understand why the authors of the resolution did not include language condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. He said that he had earlier explained why an unconditional ceasefire would simply be “dangerous” and leave Hamas in place, able to attack again.

“Perhaps most unrealistically, this resolution retains a call for an unconditional ceasefire. I explained in my remarks this morning why this is not only unrealistic but dangerous: it would simply leave Hamas in place, able to regroup and repeat what it did on October 7,” Wood said.

He said, “We still cannot comprehend why the resolution’s authors declined to include language condemning Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. An attack that killed over 1,200 people. Women, children, the elderly. People from a range of nationalities. Burned alive. Gunned down. Subject to obscene sexual violence.”

“We are very disappointed that for the victims of these heinous acts, the resolution’s authors offered neither their condolences nor condemnation of their murderers. It’s unfathomable. Nor is there condemnation of the sexual violence unleashed by Hamas on October 7,” he added.

Explaining the UK’s abstention from the draft resolution, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN Barbara Woodward said her country could not vote in favour of a resolution that fails to condemn the atrocities committed by Hamas on Israeli civilians on October 7.

Barbara Woodward said, “Calling for a ceasefire ignores the fact that Hamas has committed acts of terror and is still holding civilians hostage.” She noted that Israel needs to be able to address the threat posed by Hamas and it needs to do so in a manner that abides by international humanitarian law. She reiterated the importance of working meaningfully towards a two-state solution.

Earlier, Robert Wood said that the US does not support calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as it “would only plant the seeds for the next war.”

In his remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, Robert Wood stated that it continues to pose a threat to Israel and added, “An undeniable part of that reality is that if Israel unilaterally laid down its weapons today, as some Member States have called for, Hamas would continue to hold hostages.”

He said, “And as of today, Hamas continues to pose a threat to Israel and remain in charge of Gaza. That is not a threat that any one of our governments would allow to continue to remain on our own borders. Not after the worst attack on our people in several decades.”

“For that reason, while the United States strongly supports a durable peace in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security, we do not support calls for an immediate ceasefire. This would only plant the seeds for the next war – because Hamas has no desire to see a durable peace or a two-state solution,” he added.

Wood called the UNSC’s failure to condemn Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, including its acts of sexual violence and other unthinkable evils, “a serious moral failure.” He emphasised that the UNSC’s decision underscores the “fundamental disconnect between the discussions that we have been having in this Chamber and the realities on the ground.”

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his condemnation of Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7. Guterres said that he is “appalled” by the reports of sexual violence.

“There is no possible justification for deliberately killing some 1,200 people, including 33 children, injuring thousands more, and taking hundreds of hostages,” he said, adding “at the same time, the brutality perpetrated by Hamas can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”

Guterres said, “While indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas into Israel, and the use of civilians as human shields, are in contravention of the laws of war, such conduct does not absolve Israel of its own violations.” He called on the international community to do “everything possible” to end their ordeal.

Antonio Guterres said, “I urge the Council to spare no effort to push for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, for the protection of civilians, and for the urgent delivery of lifesaving aid.” (ANI)

ALSO READ-US Again Vetoes UN Bid For Gaza Ceasefire

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US Again Vetoes UN Bid For Gaza Ceasefire

The resolution received 13 votes in the 15-member Council with Britain abstaining on Friday but was cut down by Washington’s veto, reports Arul Louis

Brushing aside an impassioned plea by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a diplomatically isolated United States has again vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel conflict.

The resolution received 13 votes in the 15-member Council with Britain abstaining on Friday but was cut down by Washington’s veto.

The veto came exactly two months after Israel launched retaliatory attacks on Gaza for the terrorist onslaught a day earlier by Hamas, which rules the territory.

This was the second resolution on Gaza that the US vetoed; another was vetoed by Russia and China, and two failed to get the minimum of nine votes required to pass as the Council grappled with the crisis.

But last month, the Council adopted a resolution calling for a humanitarian pause in the fighting – a more limited cessation of hostilities with a specific aim – when the US, Russia and Britain abstained saving it from a veto after the failure of the four earlier attempts at an action on Gaza.

That led to a four-day pause — extended by two days — in fighting starting last month to allow relief supplies into Gaza and for the release of some of the about 240 hostages taken from Israel by Hamas and other terrorist groups.

(UN Photo/Loey Felipe) A wide view of the UN Security Council chambers as members meet on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Friday’s resolution backed by about 90 countries was proposed by the United Arab Emirates, whose Deputy Permanent Representative Mohamed Issa Abushahab asked, “What is the message we are sending civilians across the world who may find themselves in similar situations” by being unable to pass the resolution.

Explaining the veto, US Deputy Permanent Representative Robert Wood said that it was calling for an “unsustainable ceasefire that will only plant the seeds for the next war”.

Moreover, he said, it did not condemn the 7/10 Hamas attack on Israel or affirm Israel’s right to self-defence.

The attempt to pass a resolution for a Gaza ceasefire came after Guterres on Wednesday invoked a rarely used provision of the UN Charter to call the Council’s attention to the crisis in that territory from Israel’s retaliatory attacks.

He asked the Council to act to “avert a human catastrophe” warning, “There is a high risk of the total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza, which would have devastating consequences”.

He used Article 99 of the Charter that had been invoked only three times before to make the call to action by the Council, about the only power given to the Secretary-General to act in a crisis.

He warned the Council on Friday “I fear the consequences (of the conflict) could be devastating for the security of the entire region” and spread elsewhere constituting a threat to international peace,

Making his plea for a ceasefire, Guterres told the Council, “The people of Gaza are looking into the abyss”.

They “are being told to move like human pinballs – ricocheting between ever-smaller slivers of the south, without any of the basics for survival”, he said. “But nowhere in Gaza is safe:.

He said that he “unreservedly” condemned the Hamas attacks that killed about 1,200 people including 33 children and resulted in hundreds taken hostage, and that he was “appalled by the reports of sexual violence”.

He also had strong words for Israel noting: “At the same time, the brutality perpetrated by Hamas can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.

He noted that 17,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,000 women and 7,000 children, have been “reportedly” killed in Israeli operations.

“While indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas into Israel, and the use of civilians as human shields, are in contravention of the laws of war, such conduct does not absolve Israel of its own violations”, he said.

In a remark apparently aimed at the US, which he did not name, he said, “International humanitarian law cannot be applied selectively. It is binding on all parties equally at all times, and the obligation to observe it does not depend on reciprocity”.

Israel’s Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan criticised Guterres for invoking Article 99 saying that he did not use it while the world was reeling from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or for other crises.

He said that regional stability can “only be achieved once Hamas is eliminated”.

Palestine’s Permanent Observer Riyad Mansour accused Israel of “conducting the war, through atrocities” and added that denying a ceasefire will not end them.

The General Assembly in October passed by an overwhelming majority a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

It received the votes of 121 members, while 14 voted against it and 45 including India abstained, showing broad support for a ceasefire.

India said it was abstaining because the resolution did not condemn Hamas terrorism.

The veto came as President Joe Biden is facing growing calls for a ceasefire from many, even those in his party, and large demonstrations while his unwavering support for Israel is backed by a broad political spectrum from his party and the Republican side.

To meet the criticism of his backing for Israel while its actions in Gaza his civilians, the Biden administration has been counselling Israel to take more precautions to protect civilians.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who has spoken to Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, said, “As Israel pursues its military objectives in Gaza, we believe Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians.”

ALSO READ: Biden Stresses ‘Critical Need To Protect Civilians’

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Guterres Invokes UN Charter, Formally Refers Gaza to UNSC

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the opening of the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 6, 2023. (Manuel Elías/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)

Guterres’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the invocation of Article 99 as a “very powerful move” by Guterres….Writes Arul Louis

In a bid to push the paralysed Security Council to act on Gaza, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday invoked a rarely used provision of the Charter to call its attention to the looming “human catastrophe” there and to request a humanitarian ceasefire.

In a letter to Council President Javier Dominguez, Guterres wrote, “I am writing under Article 99 of the United Nations Charter to bring to the attention of the Security Council a matter which, in my opinion, may aggravate existing threats to the maintenance of international peace and security”.

“I urge the members of the Security Council to press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe”, he wrote, “I reiterate my appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared.”

He warned, “Amid constant bombardment by the Israel Defence Forces, and without shelter or the essentials to survive, I expect public order to completely break down soon due to the desperate conditions, rendering even limited humanitarian assistance impossible”.

Guterres’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the invocation of Article 99 as a “very powerful move” by Guterres.

Calling it a “constitutional move” by Guterres, Dujarric said it was the exercise of the “only the real power” given to the Secretary-General by the Charter.

Article 99 has been invoked directly only three times, the last 34 years ago in 1989 by Javier Perez de Cuellar regarding the fighting in Lebanon, although Secretaries-General have alerted the Council to crises, including the Bangladesh War, at least ten times without referring to the article.

Article 99 states, “The Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

The Secretary-General does not have any powers to directly act on crises or take action against countries and only the Council has the power under the Charter.

Dujarric expected the Council, which is headed by Ecuador this month, to meet regarding the letter and for Guterres to speak to it.

After four resolutions on Gaza were vetoed at the Council, it finally managed to pass one last month calling for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting rather than a ceasefire.

In his letter, Guterres reiterated his call for a ceasefire, which would put an open-ended stop to the fighting, rather than a pause of a limited duration.

“With a humanitarian ceasefire, the means of survival [for the people of Gaza] can be restored and humanitarian assistance can be delivered in a safe and timely manner across the Gaza Strip”, he wrote in his letter, which was circulated to all the 15 members of the Council.

The eight weeks of fighting “have created appalling human suffering, physical destruction and collective trauma across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, he said.

He condemned the 7/10 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel during which more than 1,200 people were killed, about 250 taken hostage and several women sexually attacked.

He also said that in the retaliatory attacks about 15,000 people, 40 per cent of them children, were killed and 80 per cent of the population of 2.2 million was “forcibly displaced”.

ALSO READ: ‘This must stop’: Guterres On Spiraling Deaths In Gaza

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Pakistan on Track for UNSC Seat, Could Influence Anti-Terror Measures

If Pakistan is elected, it will be closely aligned with China, a counterbalance to South Korea, which will hold the other Asia seat till the end of 2025, reports Arul Louis

Pakistan, which has received the unanimous backing of the Asia Pacific Group, is most likely to be elected to the United Nations Security Council next year, giving it a virtual veto on sanctions against terrorists.

Even though it will not have veto powers on the decisions of the Council like the permanent members, the committee that imposes sanctions on terrorists functions by consensus and non-permanent members can also block its decisions.

If elected, Islamabad will not have to rely on China to protect Pakistan-based terrorists like Sajid Mir, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, who was given a reprieve in June at the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee.

It will also have a seat on the Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee.

If Pakistan is elected, it will be closely aligned with China, a counterbalance to South Korea, which will hold the other Asia seat till the end of 2025.

While about 50 national-level elections will sweep across the world next year, the UN will also have several elections to its bodies and the Council election held by the General Assembly will be closely watched.

Pakistan’s chances of election are strong because it has received the unanimous support of 53 electoral members of the Asia Pacific Group, including India, for the region’s seat that will be vacated by Japan at the end of 2024.

However, it is not a foregone conclusion because although Pakistan is the consensus candidate of the Asian Group, it will still need to get the votes of two-third of all the 193 members who will have the final say in the election that will be held in the middle of next year.

This opens the way for any others from the region to challenge Islamabad’s candidacy and this happened in the 2011 election, when Kyrgyzstan pitched its candidacy without the backing of the Asia Group.

The Central Asian country got 55 votes, paring Pakistan’s lead to 129 votes, just one over the 128 – or two-third – it needed to win the two-year term that began in 2012.

Fiji, which did not contest the election, received one vote, but announced that it was backing Pakistan.

According to a UN source who closely follows Council elections, the United States was behind Kyrgyzstan entering the race and standing firm despite entreaties from many Asian countries to back out.

Pakistan had announced its intent to seek its eighth term on the Council when India announced its candidacy for the 2020 election for the 2021-22 term.

India, which had the unanimous backing of the Asia Group, was elected with 184 votes.

Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, engineered Islamabad’s diplomatic push to get the support of the Asia Group for the 2024 election.

The deal was sealed in June at a Group meeting where it was backed by about 20 countries as diverse as China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Malaysia, the UAE, Lebanon and Singapore, according to reports.

If elected, Pakistan, which has used every opportunity at the UN to bring up Kashmir even on unrelated discussions, can be expected to keep harping on it on a platform that will give it more visibility.

Pakistan can be seen standing firmly with China, when the Council takes up the polarising issues of Palestine, Ukraine, North Korea and Syria, irking the Western countries.

On most of those issues, Beijing and Moscow also have common positions.

There will also be four other contests next year for non-permanent seats opening up in 2025: One each for Africa and Latin America/Caribbean groups and two for the Western European and Others Group.

A contest is brewing for the Africa Group where Somalia and Mauritius have announced their candidatures.

Only Greece and Denmark are the candidates so far for the two Western Group vacancies.

Polls to the UN Human Rights Council will be closely watched next year when 18 of the 47 seats come up for election.

India will be completing its current term at the end of next year after serving two consecutive terms and the rules do not allow it to contest for a third term running.

India will also be ending its term on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the end of 2024, but will be eligible to run for another term under its rules.

The office of the President of the General Assembly rotates by region and it will be Africa’s turn next year.

There won’t be an election next year for the International Court of Justice, better known as the World Court, but an election for six judges of the International Criminal Court will take place in December this year for terms starting in 2024. India will not be participating as it has not signed the court’s statute.

ALSO READ: Petitions Urge Election Delay in Pakistan Over Terror Threats

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New UNSC membership only for developing nations, says Lavrov

According to Lavrov, all the Western sanctions that have been imposed against Russia are likely to remain after the Ukraine conflict…reports Asian Lite News

Any new United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members should come from developing countries, Russian media reported Monday, citing Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Primakov Readings International Forum in Moscow.

“It is important to redress the historical injustices that emerged following the end of the decolonization process and since the emergence of many dozens of young sovereign states,” Lavrov said, noting that the composition of the UNSC should reflect the current reality.

“It is clear that any new members of the Security Council must only come from developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and they must have credibility in their regions and in global organizations such as the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77,” he said.

Lavrov added that Russia doesn’t need to focus on restoring relations with Europe at this moment, and must concentrate on protecting itself “in all key sectors of the economy,” and security, considering Europe’s unpredictable policies and decisions.

According to Lavrov, all the Western sanctions that have been imposed against Russia are likely to remain after the Ukraine conflict.

ALSO READ-India-Kazakhstan Joint Drill to Focus on Counter-Terrorism

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India Raises Red Flag on Unsustainable Financing at UNSC

Global leaders met for the 2023 SDG Summit that took place in September during the high-level UN General Assembly session, beginning a new phase of accelerated progress towards the SDGs….reports Asian Lite News

At a UN Security Council debate earlier this week, India warned that the international community should be vigilant towards the dangers of unsustainable financing which leads to a vicious cycle of debt traps.

“Peace is elusive and development a distant dream if resource crunch continues to exist. Hence, India in various fora, including in its current G20 presidency has worked towards reforms of International Financial Institutions,” Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Madhu Sudan said on Monday at an Open Debate “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Promoting Sustaining Peace through Common Development”.

Sudan, as part of his remarks, noted that maintaining international peace and security is one of the key mandates of the UN Security Council. He added maintaining peace is weighty, nuanced and multidimensional and is not just linked to “common development.”

“Our leaders met recently to assess global progress on the SDGs and concurred that urgent measures are necessary to reverse the concerning trend of faltering on these goals. My delegation reiterates that we do not lose focus by diluting or cherry picking, in name or substance, from Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development,” Sudan added.

Global leaders met for the 2023 SDG Summit that took place in September during the high-level UN General Assembly session, beginning a new phase of accelerated progress towards the SDGs.

Further, touching upon the Global South and equity, he said, “It is reflective enough that without representation the voice of the Global South is lost and forgotten.”

SDG 16 particularly calls for peace and in the same breath calls for “effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”

“India believes that a UN befitting the aspirations and needs of the 21st century is only possible through a sustained, reformed multilateralism, especially through expansion of both categories of membership of the Security Council. Choosing peace, cooperation and multilateralism is essential for building our collective future free of wars, conflicts, terrorism, space race and the threats from new and emerging technologies amongst others,” the Indian diplomat added. (ANI)

ALSO READ: EU chief congratulates Modi for successful G20 presidency

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UNSC Finally Votes For Gaza Humanitarian Pause

Human Rights Watch welcomed the resolution, characterising it as a rare and powerful message to Israel, Hamas, and other armed groups….reports Asian Lite News

In a significant move, the United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution calling for a series of humanitarian pauses in Gaza, CNN reported.

The resolution received support from twelve states during the session held on Wednesday, while the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom chose to abstain from the vote.

The adopted resolution emphasises the need for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable, consistent with international humanitarian law, the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners,” as reported by CNN.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the resolution, characterising it as a rare and powerful message to Israel, Hamas, and other armed groups.

Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The UN Security Council just sent a rare and powerful message to Israel, Hamas and other armed groups that compliance with international humanitarian law is non-negotiable. So far, there has been widespread disregard for civilians by all parties. That the US finally stopped paralyzing the council on Israel and Palestine so this resolution on the plight of children in Gaza could move forward should be a wake-up call to Israeli authorities that global concern, even among its allies, is strong.”

About a month ago, the United States had vetoed a similar draft resolution at the UNSC, proposed by Brazil, which called for a humanitarian pause in Gaza. The draft condemned Hamas’ attacks on Israel, urged the release of hostages, and called on all parties to comply with international law.

Following the recent vote, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield explained that the US sought more time for on-the-ground diplomacy to play out.

The Security Council, despite being the UN’s most powerful body, often faces challenges due to the veto power held by its five permanent members. The October draft received approval from twelve members, with the UK and Russia abstaining and the US using its veto, according to CNN.

Amid escalating tensions and humanitarian concerns, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, called for an end to the “carnage” in Gaza.

“As the carnage in Gaza reaches new levels of horror every day, the world continues to watch in shock as hospitals come under fire, premature babies die, and an entire population is deprived of the basic means of survival,” said Martin Griffiths, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator. “This cannot be allowed to continue.”

While Israel has claimed that underground bunkers beneath Al-Shifa hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza, were used by Hamas as a command centre, hospital officials and Hamas have denied these allegations.

The situation remains complex, with ongoing scrutiny and international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the region, CNN reported.

Over 11,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll from Hamas’s attacks stands roughly at 1,200. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Biden Taps Indian American Shakuntla L. Bhaya for Key Post

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UNSC Voices Concerns for Afghan Women, Journalists

Members of the UN Security Council are calling for “meaningful” participation of women in all decision-making processes….reports Asian Lite News

Several members of the United Nations Security Council members have expressed concerns about human rights violations and women’s rights in Afghanistan, stating that women, including female journalists and human rights activists, are facing violence in public places, Khaama Press reported on Friday.

Members of the UN Security Council are calling for “meaningful” participation of women in all decision-making processes.

Previously, members of the UNSC expressed concerns about human rights violations and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan through a joint statement, emphasizing that these actions are contrary to the expectations of the global community.

The presence of women in decision-making processes, public forums, and media was considered one of the achievements of the past two decades until the interim government took power, causing an unprecedented setback. The media sphere was not spared either, and the presence of women in this field was severely affected, Khaama Press reported.

Medina Akbari, a female journalist, said that female journalists can hardly work in Afghanistan, which has caused psychological harm to them.

She said that she had worked in various sections of the media for four years, and now the media and journalists are facing publication restrictions.

Medina adds that limitations have been imposed in the media sector, making it difficult for us to participate in conferences easily, and accurate information is still not readily available.

According to the female journalist, she used to be able to participate in all programs before, but after the restrictions, she cannot participate in programs and conferences.

This comes as media support organizations in the country had previously reported that 54 per cent of violence and threats against journalists, including 26 cases of physical violence, 115 threats, and 70 detentions, had been recorded, Khaama Press reported.

Statistics show that alongside detentions, lack of access to information, economic difficulties, and violence in the country, female journalists currently make up only 5 per cent of the media.

Notably, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has received strong criticism from across the world for the “gender apartheid” in the country.

Afghanistan’s women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Girls and women in the war-torn country have no access to education, employment and public spaces.

Since the Taliban took over, in the last two years, they have issued over fifty decrees targetting women, highlighted by human rights organizations.

According to Khaama Press, these decrees have highly impacted marginalized women from Afghan society as they enforced such stringent policies.

A startling 80 per cent of Afghan girls and young women, who are of school-going age, are currently denied access to education under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, a new report by Care International stated, according to Khaama Press.

It has been more than two years since girls above grade six have been prohibited from attending schools in Afghanistan, and it is unclear when those doors will reopen, Tolo News reported.

Afghanistan remains the only country to ban girls’ and women’s education, resulting in a substantial economic toll of approximately USD 5.4 billion. (ANI)

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