United Nations: India will chair the crucial Taliban and Libya sanctions committees and the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council during its tenure as non-permanent member of the powerful 15-nation UN body. India, which has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the UNSC, began its two-year tenure at the Council on Friday last.
“The UN Security Council establishes subsidiary bodies on specific issues, including on the sanctions regimes. I’m happy to announce that India has been asked to chair three important committees of the Security Council, which include the Taliban Sanctions Committee, Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Libyan Sanctions Committee,” India’s permanent representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti said in a video message Thursday.
Tirumurti said the Taliban Sanctions Committee, also known as the 1988 Sanctions Committee, has always been a ‘high priority’ for India, keeping in mind the country’s strong interest and commitment to peace, security, development and progress of Afghanistan.
“Our chairing this committee at this juncture will help keep the focus on the presence of terrorists and their sponsors threatening the peace process in Afghanistan. It has been our view that peace process and violence cannot go hand in hand,” Trimurti pointed out.
Tirumurti will chair the CTC in 2022, the year in which India will commemorate the 75th anniversary of its independence.
“India will also chair the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2022, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. The chairing of this committee has a special resonance for India, which has not only been in the forefront of fighting terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism, but has also been one of its biggest victims,” he said.
Tirumurti stated that the Libya Sanctions Committee, also called the 1970 Sanctions Committee, is a ‘very important’ subsidiary body of the Council, which implements the sanctions regime, including a two-way arms embargo on Libya and assets freeze, a travel ban and measures on illicit export of petroleum. “We will be assuming the chair of this committee at a critical juncture, when there is international focus on Libya and on the peace process,” he said.
The three committees are highly significant subsidiary bodies of the UNSC and India chairing them is a ringing endorsement of the country’s leadership to steer the panels. India is a leading voice at the UN in the fight against the global scourge of terrorism, particularly the threat posed in the region by cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
India has underscored that the fight against terrorism will be a key priority for it as it sits at the UN high-table for the 2021-22 term.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said as a Council member, India will not hesitate to raise its voice against the enemies of humanity, including terrorism and will always speak in support of peace, security and prosperity.
