PM Modi urges UN to improve effectiveness to be relevant; 'questions being raised'

Addressing the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Narendra on Saturday, September 25, urged the United Nations to 'improve its effectiveness and increase its reliability in order to be relevant. This was the first-in-person address of PM Modi in the UNGA after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this, PM Modi had addressed the UNGA in 2019, and in 2020, via video-conferencing. 

PM Modi urges UN to 'improve its effectiveness and increase its reliability'

PM Modi pointed out that there are several questions being raised at the UN- 'the questions were raised during the Climate crisis as well as during the COVID-19 and the proxy wars across the globe, and now with the Afghanistan issue, they have been further highlighted all the more,' PM Modi said 

Citing the great Indian strategist Chanakya, PM Modi added, "When the right work is not done at the right time, time itself destroys the success of that work," and urged the world forum to improve its effectiveness and increase its reliability to remain relevant at this juncture. 

PM Modi attacks China & Pakistan

PM Modi also took the opportunity to launch a veiled attack on China and Pakistan. Without naming the Indian neighbours, PM Modi said that countries using terrorism as a political tool need to understand that terrorism is an equally big threat for them. He then went on to address the critical issue of Afghanistan and stressed the need to ensure that the soil of the war-torn country is not used to harbour terrorism and spread terrorist activities.

" At this time afghans- children, women need help and we must fulfil our duty by providing this help," he said. 

Besides PM Modi, at least 109 world leaders are addressing the ongoing session in person while 60 more will address the UNGA through pre-recorded video statements. The theme of the session is 'building resilience through hope - to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations'.