United Nations: The United Nations Security Council’s permanent and non-permanent members have congratulated India and three other newly-elected countries on their election to the powerful UN organ, saying they look forward to working with them on the issues of international peace and security.
Along with India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway also won the Security Council elections held Wednesday.
US Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Kelly Craft, congratulated veteran Turkish diplomat and parliamentarian Volkan Bozkir, who was elected as the President of the 75th session of the General Assembly as well as India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway who won the election to the Security Council for the non-permanent seats.
“Looking forward to working closely with you all!” she tweeted.
China’s Permanent Mission to the UN also congratulated the newly-elected non-permanent members for the 2021-2022 term.
“Looking forward to working with them in maintaining international peace and security,” it said in a tweet.
Russia’s UN Mission tweeted that Moscow is ready to work with the new members for the fruitful work as they take their seats on the Council beginning January 1, 2021.
The French Mission to the UN also congratulated India, Ireland, Norway and Mexico on their victory while the UK, congratulating the winning member states, said in a tweet: “We look forward to working with the elected members towards building peace and security around the world.”
Warmly congratulating the winning countries, Belgium’s UN Mission said “we’re already looking forward to welcoming you as the observers to the Council in October.”
India, the endorsed candidate from the Asia-Pacific States, won 184 votes out of the 192 ballots cast in the elections for the five non-permanent seats of the UN Security Council, the world organisation’s most powerful organ.
In 2021, India, Norway, Ireland and Mexico will sit in the UNSC along with five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US as well as non-permanent members Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam.
The two-year terms of Belgium, Dominican Republic, Germany, Indonesia and South Africa are ending this year.
Estonia said it ‘greatly’ looks forward to working together with the newly-elected members in the Security Council next year.
“See you at the #UNSC hall soon,” Estonia tweeted.
Vietnam said it looks forward to working closely with the five new non-permanent members on the Security Council next year.
Dominican Republic said it “stands ready to pass the torch and support you on our common values for the greater good of humanity during your tenure in the Council.”
The German mission said India, Ireland, Norway and Mexico “will be tasked with upholding the values” of the UN Charter in the “realm of international peace and security. You will have a strong partner in Germany!”
Indonesia also congratulated the newly-elected members.
New York-based community leader Prem Bhandari, who had partnered for special ‘India For Humanity’ events here to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi last year, said the victory in the UNSC election was a ‘proud moment for India’, adding that India was elected with a ‘thumping majority’.
He described the victory as the ‘real win’ for the Indian diplomacy and underscored the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the international arena.
PTI
