General Assembly Security Council

 

Mr. President,
 

We thank you for conducting this timely debate. The discussions have been useful.


Maintaining peace and security across the world continues to be a massive challenge for the international community. The nature of conflict itself has been changing with an increasing involvement of non state actors. While the UN continues to be heavily invested in the peace and security efforts, it is difficult for the UN to succeed on its own.


The last several decades have seen various efforts in different parts of the world to strengthen regional cooperation taking shape and expanding their positive contribution. The  African Union that was established in the year 2002 builds upon pan-African collaboration that commenced as the Organisation for African Unity in early 60s and the various regional integration efforts that also continued across different regions of Africa. Peace and Security has formed an important part of the AU's agenda as also the Agenda 2063 adopted by the African leaders last year.


While the UN has engaged in peacekeeping efforts in the African continent since the 1960s, in the past couple of decades, the African Union and some of the other regional groupings in Africa such as the IGAD, ECOWAS and the SADC have also undertaken such efforts in around 20 conflicts inside Africa. At the same time the cooperation and coordination between the UNSC and the AU PSC has also grown and become institutionalised. The UN-AU collaboration on peace and security has been successful in many ways in the context of the collaboration of the UN with regional arrangements under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.

 
The AU peacekeeping efforts have formed the precursor to and the basis  for several UN peacekeeping efforts for instance in Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Burundi, CAR and Somalia. The regional organisations can have several advantages in terms of dealing with crises in their regions. If capable, the regional organisations may become quick responders; they may have a much better understanding of the complexities of their region; they may enjoy advantages of language and intelligence etc. They can also act as buffers until the deployment of the UN Peacekeepers. Many regional organisations, however, may also face serious constraints of capacity, resources and conflicting geo-political interests. Priorities of the UN Security Council and those of the regional organisation could also differ significantly.


Mr. President,


While the largest UN peacekeeping deployments have been in Africa, their record of success has been a mixed one, partly reflecting the complexities of geo-politics, political will and the capacities and resources, backing the peacekeeping efforts. Important lessons can be drawn from analysing the various missions.


There is also a growing understanding of the range and complexity of factors that are essential for sustaining peace. The cross-cutting and inter-linked nature of these factors has been recognised by the international community during the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as also the Agenda 2063 by the AU. The importance of sustainable development, economic growth and enlarged funding has also been recognised in the resolutions adopted last month by the General Assembly as also the Security Council on the issue of Peacebuilding Architecture and sustaining peace.


Mr. President,


India has always engaged actively on peace and security issues, including at the Security Council. India is a member of the UN Peacebuilding Commission since its inception 10 years ago. India has also made significant financial contribution to the Peacebuilding Support Office. The Government of India has seconded the Planning  & Projects Officer to the UN Office in AU.


India is proud of its own longstanding contribution is helping maintain peace and security in situations of conflict as part of the UN Peacekeeping efforts. Indian peacekeepers  have served in 22 Missions in Africa so far, starting in 1960s. Currently, Indian peacekeepers are serving in 8 UN peacekeeping missions on the African continent. The first ever Female Formed Police Unit  provided by  India and deployed in Liberia was highly successful and received recognition for providing a role model for encouraging female participation in Police and for pursuing gender balance more widely.


India has also made financial contribution to the AMISOM operations in Somalia. The Indian navy has contributed to the international efforts to fight the menace of piracy off the coast of Somalia. India has also contributed towards training and capacity building of peacekeepers from Africa.


Mr. President,


India has had longstanding close links with Africa not only through its Diaspora and trade and investment relations but India has also played a role in partnering Africa first during the decolonisation and anti-apartheid phases and for development cooperation. This tradition of south-south solidarity continues to strengthen and was reinforced during the Third India-Africa Forum Summit last October.


At the Summit, Prime Minister Modi announced a significant enhancement of the scale of our development partnership that we feel helps strengthen the foundation for building peaceful and prosperous nations. India would extend concessional credit worth US$ 10 billion, double the scholarships to 50,000, and provide additional grant worth US$ 600 million over the next five years to Africa.


Prime Minister Modi also announced support for the African Union's peacekeeping efforts including through training of trainers in India and in Africa. India, alongwith the US, will organise a UN Peacekeeping course for African Partners in July-August this year.


In addition to pursuing the very substantive development partnership with our friends in Africa, India stands ready to contribute towards any future peacekeeping operations that may be required to maintain peace and security.


Thank You.