Modi to address UN on Post-2015 Development, will press for Security Council reform

In his maiden speech at the United Nations General Assembly, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will highlight India’s role and expectation from the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Modi, who will address the UNGA on September 27, is also expected to emphasise the imperative of expanding and reforming the Security Council.

The theme of the 69^th session of the UNGA is: Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda. The UN debate will focus on this process which defines the future global development framework once the Millennium Development Goals target come to an end in 2015.

“The Post-2015 Development Agenda would be the world’s view on development priorities for the next decade and half and, therefore, for us it is an important area of engagement. It will have a bearing on the nature of international cooperation including on generation and utilisation of international resources for development. It will also set the normative approach for multilateral cooperation on global public goods and sharing of global resources for development. Obviously India has high stakes in these issues,” said Syed Akbaruddin, Spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs on September 23.

He added that Modi will also raise the issue of India’s contribution to the UN Peacekeeping missions and Security Council reform.

“At the United Nations it is expected that Prime Minister in his address would issues which are of paramount importance to us, on the multilateral agenda. And these relate to, for example, the expansion and reform of the Security Council including India’s permanent membership of an expanded Security Council. You are aware that with the 70^thanniversary of the United Nations coming up in 2015, there is renewed focus on trying to push the momentum on this important aspect, and India will certainly work towards that,” added the Akbaruddin.

Security Council is considered the most powerful multilateral bodies in the world and consists of fifteen members, of which only five are permanent: the US, the UK, China, Russia, and France.

The Group of 4 (G4) countries which include Brazil, Indian Germany and Japan have banded together to call for much needed expansion of the body. They have alleged that the UN Security Council is a relic of the post-World War II era, and does not reflect current geo-political realities.

While the US, UK, Russia, and China have expressed their support, in principle, for India’s bid as a permanent member, tangible steps are yet forthcoming.

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