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Terrorism, climate to veiled attack on Pak: Top quotes from Jaishankar’s powerful UN speech


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United Nations, Dec 15, 2022: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, chairing the UNSC open debate on Maintenance of International Peace and Security’, in a powerful speech called for sweeping reforms and said the credibility of the UN depends on its response to the key challenges such as pandemics, climate change, conflicts or terrorism.

 

S Jaishankar


Presiding over the debate, the foreign minister called for an "honest conversation" on the effectiveness of multilateral institutions and said member states from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Small Island Developing States should have credible and continuing representation in the Security Council. Decision about their future can no longer be taken without their participation, he added.

 


Apart from the climate crisis, conflicts and the Covid pandemic, the foreign minister also called out nations that "justify and protect perpetrators of terrorism" in multilateral platforms in what was seen as a veiled attack on China and its close ally Pakistan.

 


His remarks appeared to be a reference to repeated blocks on proposals to blacklist terrorists, particularly those based on Pakistani soil like Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, in the UN Security Council’s by veto-wielding permanent members such as China.

Here are the top quotes from Jaishankar’s powerful speech at the UN.

* "The knock-on effects of conflict situations have also underscored the necessity for a more broad-based global governance. Recent concerns over food, fertiliser and fuel security were not adequately articulated in the highest councils of decision making. Much of the world was therefore led to believe that their interests did not matter. We cannot let that happen again."

* "On the challenge of terrorism, even as the world is coming together with a more collective response, multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators."

* "When it comes to climate action and climate justice, the state of affairs is no better. Instead of addressing the relevant issues in the appropriate forum, we have seen attempts at distraction and diversion."

* "All of us are aware that the ’Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council’ has been on the UNGA agenda for well over the last three decades. While the debate on reforms has meandered aimlessly, the real world meantime has changed dramatically."

* "We not only need to increase stakeholdership but also enhance the effectiveness and credibility of multilateralism in the eyes of the international community and in the eyes of global public opinion."

* "If this is to happen, member states from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Small Island Developing States should have credible and continuing representation in the Security Council."

* "Decisions about their future can no longer be taken without their participation. Equally important is to make working methods and processes of the global institutions, including this Council, more accountable, objective and transparent. Failing to do so would only lend this Council to charges of politicisation."

* "The question of justifying what the world regards as unacceptable should never arise. That applies to state sponsorship of cross-border terrorism, nor can hosting Osama Bin Laden and attacking a neighbouring Parliament serve as credentials to sermonise before this council."


Courtesy: India Today