UNSC Arria-Formula Meeting on ‘Collective Security through equitable burden sharing: strengthening regional arrangements for the maintenance of international peace and security’

[ Wednesday, 27 July 2022, 1500 hrs]

India Statement

Thank you, Mr. Chair. 

We thank the delegation of Ghana for organizing this meeting. I also thank briefers for their useful insights.

2.    Regional and sub-regional organizations have demonstrated their important role in the maintenance of international peace and security. 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, therefore, support engagement between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations, in line with the UN Charter.

3.    The nature of threats faced by member states compared to when the United Nations was founded 75 years ago has also changed. Contemporary security challenges are not limited to territorial or political disputes but transcend physical or political boundaries. In today’s globalized world, terrorism, radicalization, drug trafficking and organized crime have a growing salience. The security implications of new technologies cannot be disregarded.

4.    The African Union has been ably supported through preventive diplomacy and mediation efforts of the ECOWAS, the ECCAS, Southern African Development Community (SDAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), each of whom have been critical in advancing peace efforts in their respective regions. We need to be cognizant of this reality and this spirit of burden sharing among regional organizations must continue to drive the agenda of peace and security.

5.     In today’s Africa, democratic values are driving efforts to effectively address the challenges of peace and security. This is clearly evident through AU’s increased role within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and in the success of AMISOM in Somalia, experience of AFISMA in Mali, ECOMOG in Liberia etc. 

6.    The international community needs to pay close attention to the African voice and wisdom. No one can know Africa better than Africans themselves. We have seen from history, that offering "external” solutions to African problems without African involvement, has not served the interests of the African people. This skewed approach needs to change.

7.    The change should begin, in the Security Council itself. Given the fact that nearly seventy percent of Chapter VII mandate resolutions are on Africa, a strong and effective partnership between the United Nations with the African Union (AU), has to be the foundational edifice. While we have existing mechanisms of cooperation broadly based on the principles enshrined in the Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, what is glaring is the fact that while African states constitute more than one-fourth of the UN membership, their continued denial of representation in the permanent category of membership, continues to be a blot on the collective credibility of this Council.

Mr. Chair, 

8.    We believe that on matters related to peace and security, the Security Council should respect the regional approach adopted by countries involved, and work in collaboration with regional organizations to address these shared challenges.

9.    The spread of terrorism in Africa, as evident from the challenges we face in the Sahel, Somalia, and central and east Africa, is a matter of serious concern. The initiatives undertaken by AMISOM, G-5 Sahel Joint Force, and Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) need more robust support from the Security Council and the international community. We endorse the call of the Secretary General to support African counter-terrorism operations with sustained financing, including through assessed contributions.

10.    I would like to conclude by reiterating India’s abiding and steadfast commitment towards an effective partnership between the United Nations and the African Union. We believe that this partnership is crucial for responding collectively, coherently and decisively to prevent, manage and resolve violent conflicts and promote peace and development in Africa.

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