India for permanent seat for Africa in UN Security Council |
With a long and deep history of friendly relations with nations of the African continent, India has steadfastly supported them in international forums and as a development partner. In January 2021, India has for the 8th time assumed a 2-year term of the United Nations Security Council. Soon after, India has called for introspection within the UN Security Council over lack of representation of African countries among its permanent members. Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that even though more than half of the issues on the agenda of the Security Council are related to Africa, the African continent does not even have a single voice amongst the permanent membership to defend its own interests. He said, the world body needs to correct this historical anomaly, and collectively support the Ezulwini consensus. The Foreign Secretary was speaking at the UNSC during Open Debate on `Challenges of Maintaining Peace and Security in Fragile Contexts on 6th January 2021. Welcoming the evolution and rise of Africa as a key factor in the contemporary world, he said the African Union has a leadership role to play in consolidating peace and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa. Shringla said, collaboration between the UN and the African Union and sub-regional organisations, such as ECOWAS, ECCAS, SDAC and IGAD, has yielded positive results. He said the UN Security Council should remain respectful of the regional approach adopted by countries, in collaboration with regional organizations to address common challenges.
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