Tuesday 05 / November / 2024
New York: Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar attended the first-ever Joint Ministerial Meeting of L.69 and C-10 groupings of nations on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.
During the meeting, Jaishankar highlighted the need for reform of United Nations Security Council membership in permanent and non-permanent categories.
The L.69 Annual Ministerial Meeting meeting was chaired by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Ralph E Gonsalves, in his capacity as Spokesperson of the L.69, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release.
Taking to X, Jaishankar stated, "Encouraged by the first - ever Joint Ministerial Meeting of L-69 and C-10 groupings of nations. Highlighted the pressing need of comprehensive reform of UNSC membership in both permanent and non-permanent categories."
"Called for Text Based Negotiations in the IGN process to achieve concrete outcomes in a fixed timeframe. Thank PM Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and Grenadines for his exemplary leadership of L-69. Laud colleagues from C-10 for their enthusiastic participation today," he added.
During the L.69 Annual Ministerial Meeting, the ministers reiterated the urgent need to make the Security Council more representative, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable, and recognised that the Summit of the Future provided an opportunity for renewed commitment to Security Council reform, according to MEA press release.
In a press release, MEA stated, "Against the backdrop of the Summit of the Future, the leaders of the AU Committee of 10 (C-10) participated in this annual High-Level meeting to exchange views on the status of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council Reform."
The Ministers stressed the indispensable role to be played by developing countries in safeguarding the effectiveness, credibility and relevance of the Security Council's decisions and outcomes.
In a press release, MEA stated, "They underscored that, for reform to be transformative, there must be greater representation of the Global South, especially for underrepresented and unrepresented regions and groups, such as Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership."
The ministers expressed their support for continuing discussions on the issue of representation of cross-regional groups, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The leaders reaffirmed their support for the Common African Position, as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.
The ministers expressed that the Common African Position is a manifestation of the principle of African Solutions for African Challenges and reiterated the proposed elements as the only way to sufficiently redress the historical injustices done to Africa.
In a press release, MEA stated, "The Ministers recognized that further delays in a comprehensive reform of the Security Council directly impacts the credibility and legitimacy of the United Nations. They further renewed their commitment to demonstrating the necessary political will to achieve the widest possible political acceptance on the five clusters set forth in GA Decision 62/557."
Jaishankar also met Ralph Gonsalves and called it the "best way of starting a day." "Meeting PM Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent & the Grenadines is the best way of starting a day," he posted on X.
Jaishankar met Bhutanese counterpart DN Dhungyel at the L-69 meeting. Taking to X, he stated, "Nice to see @FMBhutan DN Dhungyel at the L-69 meeting."
He also had a quick chat with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira. In a post on X, he stated, "Quick chat with FM Mauro Vieira of Brazil ahead of the IBSA & BRICS meetings at #UNGA79 today."
EAM Jaishankar, who is currently on a visit to the US, met several delegates and diplomats on the sidelines of UNGA, including Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Nurtleu, Morocco Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Belgium Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, and Swiss Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, and others on Wednesday.
