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‘Not beyond India's capacity’: UNGA president on bid for permanent UNSC seat
India's bid to become a permanent member has been backed by five UNSC members - France, China, Russia, the UK, and the US.
As India is seeking to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Dennis Francis on Tuesday said the responsibilities were not beyond the capacity of the government of India. According to him, it is quite a “weighty responsibility” to become a member of the council.
“Well, what I can say is, first of all, to congratulate India, on its ambitions to become a member of the UN Security Council. But also to become a permanent member is an extremely weighty responsibility, which I am sure is not beyond the capacity of the government of India. The question of when that will happen will be a question for, the members of the United Nations to decide, in the context of the reform agenda that's taking place within the Security Council,” the UNGA president told news agency ANI.
Read more: Keeping India out of UNSC will cast doubt on its credibility: Jaishankar
He added, “And let me emphasize consistent with what I have said before that security council reform is not an event. It's a process. In fact, it's an ongoing process.”
Last year, India wrapped up its two-year stint as a non-permanent member of the UNSC - where it has been one of the leading voices calling for reforms in the council. India's bid to become a permanent member has been backed by five UNSC members - France, China, Russia, the UK, and the US.
Meanwhile, Francis hailed India as a “voice of the Global South” and called the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 “a master stroke” and a “stellar achievement” made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“A master stroke. India has been a voice of the Global South, for some time. The inclusion of the African Union in the G20 really constitutes a defining moment,” he told ANI.
The African Union was made a full member of the G20 under India's presidency last month.
“…India is already a role model to the world. With so many different cultures, and so many different languages, India is a very diverse and rich country. And, that in itself is a powerful message for political success. I think India also has many lessons that it can share. Not just with the global South, but with the entire international community,” the UNGA President added.
(With inputs from ANI)
