Page 6 - India And United Nations

At UN meet, India calls for inclusive government structure in Afghanistan

Describing the situation in Afghanistan is still one of concern, India has said the formation of an inclusive and representative government structure, combating terrorism, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities in Afghanistan is an immediate priority for it. Addressing a Security Council meeting on the topic of Situation in Afghanistan' on Wednesday, India's Permanent Representative at the UN Ruchira Kamboj said that as a contiguous neighbour to Afghanistan, a friend to its people and as a country with direct stakes in ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan, India was still concerned over the situation in the country. Our common and immediate priorities include providing humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people, formation of an inclusive and representative government structure, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities, Kamboj said. India has not yet recognised the Taliban set-up and has bee

Kamboj chairs briefing ahead of 62nd UN Commission for Social Development

The 62nd session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD62) will take place from February 5 to 14, 2024, in Conference Room 4 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York

India elected executive committee member of UN's food standard-setting body

India has been unanimously elected as a member representing the Asian region in the executive committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the food safety and quality standard-setting body created by the UN, at its meeting in Rome. The executive committee is an important arm of the CAC and the member countries have a considerable interest in getting its membership. In this capacity, India would not only get an opportunity to contribute substantially in the international standard setting process for different food product categories but will also be involved in the decision-making process, the health ministry said in a statement. The executive committee supports in the management of the commission's programme of standards development by conducting a "critical review" of proposals to undertake work and monitors the progress of standards development. The committee comprises the chair, three vice chairs, six regional coordinators and seven elected representatives from various .

UN crumbling under weight of 21st-century geopolitical shifts: India

The UN apparatus, especially the Security Council, is crumbling under the weight of 21st-century geopolitical realities, India has said, underlining that the General Assembly should take the lead in restoring the centrality of the United Nations to resolve transnational issues through multilateralism. India has consistently advocated the view that the General Assembly can be revitalised only when its position as the chief deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations is respected both in letter and in spirit, Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN Pratik Mathur said here Tuesday. Addressing the UN General Assembly plenary meeting on Revitalisation of the Work of the General Assembly', Mathur said: We must admit that some of the blame lies with the General Assembly and its member states for having allowed its relevance to be diluted despite being the collective voice of all nations. He noted that there is a growing perception" that the General

India's interests at stake as world trade talks take a green turn

Country has raised objections to European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

India, Tanzania to work together on reform of UNSC through expansion: MEA

India and Tanzania on Monday discussed issues related to reforms of the United Nations, a Ministry of External Affairs official said on Monday

India may have more elderly persons than children by 2050: UN report

UNFPA report said that most southern states and select northern states such as HP and Punjab reported a higher share of elderly population than national average in 2021; the gap is likely to widen

India's journey towards SDGs serves as example of determination: Kamboj

The G20 summit under India's Presidency put the Sustainable Development Goals front and centre and underscored the dedication to accelerate their implementation, New Delhi's envoy here has said, emphasising that India's journey towards SDGs serves as an inspiring example of determination and ingenuity. Speaking at the India Roundtable: Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions and Lighthouses', organised on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly here on Friday, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said that India's dedication to accelerate SDG implementation was made clear. India's journey towards the SDGs serves as an inspiring example of determination and ingenuity. As we navigate the challenging path ahead, let us draw strength from the commitment made at the G20 Leaders' Summit in September 2023. It is there that our collective resolve was reaffirmed, and our dedication to accelerating SDG implementation was mad

Key for Global south to be active participants in shaping decisions: Kamboj

Kamboj recalled that India during the Covid-19 pandemic extended a helping hand by providing made-in-India vaccines to nearly 100 countries and supplying medicines to 150 nations

78th UN General Assembly: EAM S Jaishankar begins nine-day US visit

To meet with counterparts from US and other nations, American biz leaders, host India-UN event on global south

Global distrust, improving nukes are 'recipe for annihilation': UN Chief

An alarming rise in global distrust and division coupled with efforts by countries to improve the accuracy and destructive power of nuclear weapons is "a recipe for annihilation," the United Nations chief warned Tuesday. In a statement marking the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that with nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons stockpiled around the world, "a legally binding prohibition on nuclear tests is a fundamental step in our quest for a world free of nuclear weapons." The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has 196 member states 186 have signed it and 178 have ratified it, including eight in the last 18 months. But the pact has taken effect because it needs ratification by the eight nations that had nuclear power reactors or research reactors when the UN General Assembly adopted the treaty in 1996. At a high-level meeting of the 193-member assembly to observe the day there was no indication that those eight countries the United State

NITI Aayog, UNDP partner to further India's sustainable development goals

Cooperation will include SDG localisation, data-driven monitoring, and aspirational districts & blocks, among others

Global carbon credits market expected to touch $250 bn by 2030, says expert

The global market for carbon credits is expected to witness an upward trend and touch the level of USD 250 billion by 2030, an industry executive said. The market for carbon credits took a hit due to multiple reasons, including Russia-Ukraine war, interest rate hikes, and reduced demand leading to falling prices up to 80 per cent, Manish Dabkara, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of EKI Energy Services, said in an interview. "The market for voluntary carbon offsets which valued at around USD 2 billion in 2021 witnessed a downturn, and now valuing at USD 500 million. However, various ratings and research firms are bullish on the improvement in the carbon market," Dabkara said. Citing a Barclays report, the industry executive said, factors like stringent climate policies by various countries, their commitments under Paris agreement to reduce carbon emissions, and corporate sustainability goals are likely to contribute to the growth of the carbon credits market which is expected to

UNDP to assist India in reaching its sustainable development goals

United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region signed an MoU formalising the collaboration

Niger's neighbours, UN looking to reduce tension with last-minute diplomacy

Nigeriens awoke Tuesday to deepening uncertainty about whether a regional bloc will follow through on its threat to use military force to try to reinstall ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or if last-minute diplomacy will prevail, nearly two weeks after mutinous soldiers overthrew the country's democratically elected leader. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS had given the mutinous soldiers until Sunday to release and reinstall Bazoum or they threatened to use force. Members from ECOWAS, the United Nations and the African Union were expected to join talks in the capital, Niamey, on Tuesday, a foreign official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to media. On Monday, acting US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland met with the coup leaders in Niger and said they refused to allow her to meet with Bazoum, whom she described as under virtual house arrest. She described the mutinous officers as unreceptive to her appeals to .

India supports UN efforts to continue Black Sea Grain Initiative: Kamboj

She also showed appreciation to the United States for its presidency of the Security Council and for bringing to focus the crucial issue of conflict-induced food insecurity

India likely to rise as great power, West making sensible bet: Martin Wolf

India is indeed likely to be a rising "great power" and its economy will have the size similar to that of the US by 2050, according to noted economics commentator Martin Wolf who has also highlighted that Western leaders are making a sensible bet on the country. "I judge that India should be able to sustain growth of GDP per head at 5 per cent a year, or so, up to 2050. With better policies, growth might even be a bit higher, though it could also be lower," Wolf said in a column written in the Financial Times. He also said India is an obvious location for companies following a "China plus one" strategy and has the advantage over obvious competitors of a large home market. India is the world's fifth largest economy and third largest one in terms of purchasing power. The United Nations has forecast the country's population to touch 1.67 billion by 2050 and currently it is 1.43 billion. Wolf noted that the country's bank balance sheets have been repaired and in all, "the credit engine

UNICEF India head Cynthia McCaffery bats for child-friendly, safe cities

UNICEF India head Cynthia McCaffery has stressed on developing cities that are safe, accessible and friendly for children and youth. Clean air, green spaces and a safe environment benefit not only children but the entire community, McCaffrey said. She participated in the Urban 20 (U20) Mayoral Summit held in Gujarat's Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad cities on July 7 and 8, as part of India's G20 presidency, where discussions were held on the future of cities of the world. "More than 56 per cent of the population currently lives in urban areas. Estimates suggest that 70 per cent of the global population will live in cities by 2050, adding an additional 2.5 billion people to the urban population mostly in Asia and Africa. This means that there will be more than 1.6 billion children living in urban areas by 2050, McCaffery said. Every week, around 1.4 million people move to urban areas worldwide and many of the people will find themselves living in temporary and informal settlements, she ..

UN Child and Armed Conflict report: What it is and why India was removed?

This is the first time India has been removed from the list since 2010 due to cooperative measures taken by the nation with the UN to better protect children

India major partner in UN's strategy for digitisation in peacekeeping

India is a "major partner" in the UN's strategy for the digital transformation of peacekeeping, the United Nations peacekeeping chief has said, as he lauded the country's commitment and engagement through key initiatives such as ensuring accountability for crimes against the Blue Helmets. India is currently the third largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, with over 6,000 military and police personnel deployed to Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East and Western Sahara. "India is a major player in the world, in the UN, in multilateralism, and it's a major player in peacekeeping as well, including but not only through the importance of its contribution in terms of troops and police. We're also supported in many other ways, including in terms of the initiatives that we take to improve peacekeeping," Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix told PTI in an exclusive ...