EAM S Jaishankar Slams UN At General Assembly, Says 'It Has Naked Self Interest'

New York: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar On Saturday addressed the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The theme for the general debate was ‘Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations’. In his address, Jaishankar called out the world body for having a naked self interest and made a blistering demand for reforms in the world body.

Speaking at the UNGA, Jaishankar began his addresses by saying, “…We strongly support the 79th UNGA theme - 'Leaving No-one Behind'. We are gathered here at a difficult time. The world is yet to recover from the ravages of covid pandemic. A war in Ukraine  is well into its third year and the conflict in Gaza is acquiring wider ramifications.”

"In truth, the world stands fractious, polarised and frustrated. Conversations have become difficult, agreements even more so. This is surely not what the founders of the United Nations would have wanted of us...Today, we find both peace and prosperity equally endangered. And that is because trust has eroded and processes have broken down...," Jaishankar said.

PoK only issue to be resolved between India- Pakistan , Says Jaishankar 

“We heard some bizarre assertions from this very forum yesterday. Let me make India's position very clear - Pakistan 's policy of cross-border terrorism will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences. The issue to be resolved between us is only the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan and of course, abandonment of Pakistan long long-standing attachment to terrorism.”

"...The world cannot be fatalistic about the continuation of violence on a large scale, no more than be impervious to its broader consequences. Whether it is the war in Ukraine or the conflict in Gaza, the international community seeks urgent solutions. These sentiments must be acknowledged and acted upon...Terrorism is antithetical of everything that the world stands for. All its forms of and manifestations must be resolutely opposed. The sanctioning of global terrorists by the United Nations should also not be impeded for political reasons," Jaishankar added.

"The global order is inherently pluralistic and diverse. The UN began with 51 members, we are now 193. The world has changed profoundly and so have its concerns and opportunities. To address both and strengthen the order itself, it is essential that the UN be the central platform for finding common ground and that is certainly cannot be by remaining anachronistic. Large parts of the world cannot be left behind when it comes to deciding key issues of our times. An effective, efficient and more representative UN, a UN fit for purpose in the contemporary era is essential. Let us therefore send out a clear message from this UNGA Session: we are determined not to be left behind. By coming together, sharing experiences, pooling resources and strengthening our resolve, we can change the world for the better," the External Affairs Minister said.

Our quest for ‘Viksit Bharat’ will understandably be followed closely: Jaishankar

As India lands on the moon or dispatches vaccines worldwide, its quest for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ will be followed closely, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.

In his address to the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar also said that in these troubled times, it is necessary to provide hope and rekindle optimism.

"When India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G stack, dispatches vaccines worldwide, embraces fintech or houses so many Global Capability Centres, there is a message here. Our quest for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ or developed India will understandably be followed closely,” he said.

International community seeks urgent solution to Ukraine-Russia war, says EAM at UNGA

The world cannot be fatalistic about the continuation of violence on a large scale, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar warned, asserting that the international community seeks “urgent solutions” to the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

“The UN has always maintained that peace and development go hand-in-hand, yet when challenges to one have emerged, due regard has not been given to the other,” Jaishankar said in his address to the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

He said economic implications for the weak and vulnerable need to be highlighted.

Unviable projects raise debt levels: Jaishankar's dig at China  

Jaishankar told the UN General Assembly that unviable projects raise debt levels and any connectivity that clouds sovereignty and territorial integrity acquires strategic connotations, especially when it is not a shared endeavour, in a veiled reference to China.

“We are gathered here at a difficult time. The world is yet to recover from the ravages of the Covid pandemic. A war in Ukraine is well into its third year. The conflict in Gaza is acquiring wider ramifications,” Jaishankar said in his address to the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

Across the Global South, he said, development plans have gone off rails and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets are receding.