UNSC Briefing - Maintenance of International Peace and Security (Elders)

[7 September 2021; 1000 hrs]

Statement by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the UN

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Thank you, Madam President.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Irish Presidency for convening this important briefing with The Elders on ‘Maintenance of international peace and security’. I thank H.E. Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders and H.E. Lakhdar Brahimi, Elder Emeritus for their valuable insights. I also acknowledge the presence of H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and H.E. President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico in today’s meeting.  It is indeed a privilege to hear from the Elders, who are well known proponents of peace and admired across the world for their extraordinary work in promoting peace.

2. UN was established to save “succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.  Article One of the Charter refers to collective measures to maintain international peace and security, which include actions mentioned in Chapter VI and Chapter VIII of the Charter. Thus, the UN Charter has prescribed a trigger mechanism for collective action by the Council. Action by the Council is not the first step, but the last after exhausting all options. At the same time, another important principle is the principle of non-intrusion into domestic affairs of member States. The challenge is to balance these important Articles of faith when initiating action by the Council.

Madam President,

3. The Security Council, by the very nature of its composition, has its inherent constraints. While the UN was principally founded on the basis of sovereign equality of nations, nowhere else was this principle more belied than its principal organ - the Security Council. More than seven and a half decades since its inception, this structural inequality continues.

4. At the same time, we have seen and continue to witness the distressing consequences of interventions made without allowing for mediation efforts, especially regional mediation efforts. We therefore need to draw the right lessons from history and calls for preventive diplomacy should be seen in these contexts.

5. In recent years, efforts are being made to bring thematic issues into the Council, by projecting them as peace and security issues. While some of these are extremely important and timely, like for example, Women Peace and Security agenda, we should be equally careful that, instead of reforming the other UN organs, we are arrogating to ourselves some of the responsibilities of other organs.

6. In this context, I have following five observations to offer:

i. Much of the problems relating to the Security Council decisions stem from one important fact which is that the Security Council is not truly representative of the contemporary world. As Prime Minister Modi said in his address to the 75^th UNGA last year, reform in the responses, in the processes, and in the character of the United Nations is the need of the hour. The world today is significantly different from 1945 and if the member States have to truly believe in the impartiality of the Security Council, it must take decisions based on certain impartial yardsticks. The Council has to be representative of the current realities to be credible, legitimate and effective. Consequently, when considering preventive diplomacy either suo moto or through the recommendation of the Secretary General, the member States have to be convinced that the decision taken by the Council is impartial and carefully considered and is not just a political tool. Only then will preventive diplomacy be effective or even accepted by all Member States.   

ii. The UN has several principal organs, with clearly defined roles and functions. Issues of social and economic significance are to be primarily dealt by the General Assembly, not at the Security Council. We need to where necessary, reform the other organs to make them more effective and also promote cooperative functionalism between principal organs of the UN.  The tendency to burden the Council with increasing number of global challenges premised on their perceived connection with threat to peace and security will be self-defeating.

iii. The world continues to be confronted with peace and security challenges, exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation. Contemporary security challenges are not limited to territorial or political disputes but transcend physical or political boundaries. To address new and emerging challenges, we need coordinated and concerted action across borders. In this regard, strengthening partnerships and enhancing linkages between the UN and regional organizations is absolutely critical. With their deep knowledge of local factors and complexities, regional and sub-regional organizations are uniquely placed to contribute to finding better solutions to conflicts in their respective regions. We have seen situations where the Council’s decisions are at variance with how regional groups decide.

iv. The continuing acts of terrorism and expansion of terrorist groups continue to pose serious challenges to maintenance of international peace and security.  External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar, in his address to this Council earlier this year had presented eight principles to counter-terrorism. The Council needs to have zero tolerance to non-State terror actors and their sponsors. Equally important is to end the stalemate and expeditiously adopt a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

v. Regarding implementation of Council resolutions 2532 and 2565, we need to be clear that these resolutions are context-specific and limited to addressing the challenges related to Covid-19 vaccines in conflict-affected regions. Vaccination is the best hope for humanity to emerge successfully from the pandemic. India has shared its experiences, expertise and resources with the global community in this collective battle.

Madam President,

7. 2021 has been a defining moment in the history of the world. We remain committed to upholding the rules-based international order, underpinned by international law, premised upon respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all Member States, resolution of international disputes through peaceful negotiations and free and open access for all to the global commons.

I thank you.

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