Reform global institutions for peace and development, Modi tells U.N.
“The success of humanity lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield,” says PM
by Sriram Lakshman · The HinduSpeaking at the two-day United Nations ‘Summit of the Future’ conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said global peace was contingent on the reform of global institutions.
“The success of humanity lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield,” Mr. Modi said, presumably referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing war between the two countries as well as the Israel-Hamas conflict in West Asia.
“And for global peace and development, reforms in global institutions are essential,” he said, adding that reform was the key to relevance.
“Permanent membership of the African Union to the G-20 at the New Delhi Summit was an important step in this direction,” Mr. Modi said.
The UN, on September 22, adopted an action plan and statement of goals to tackle 21st century challenges called the Pact for the Future. The Pact included a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. It covers a range of topics from UN and UN Security Council reform to human rights and digital cooperation, including AI governance. The world body has frequently been criticised for stasis and debate over action, with countries frequently clashing on the way forward.
India has been at the forefront in calling for reform of the United Nations and specifically its Security Council, calling for an expansion in the number of permanent members, including representation for itself, Africa and other regions.
“While terrorism continues to be a serious threat to global security, the cyber, maritime and space domains were emerging as new theatres of conflict,” Mr. Modi said.
He called for global digital governance which ensured that national security and integrity were upheld.
“India is ready to share its digital public infrastructure with the entire world,” he said.
Mr. Modi had diaspora meetings at his hotel on Monday morning, as per government sources, and is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings following his UN summit address, concluding his three-day visit to the United States.
Published - September 23, 2024 10:01 pm IST