9 hrs ago
India and Africa Call for Fairer Global Decision-Making
S. Jaishankar said India and African countries should have a stronger voice in decisions made around the world.
He called for changes to the United Nations Security Council, which he said does not represent countries fairly.
The Council has five permanent members and ten members elected for two-year terms.
Jaishankar pointed to India’s support for the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20.
He said India and Africa already trade a lot and work together on development projects.
These projects include things like power, water, transport, health care, and farming.
He also said countries should work together to improve food security.
He argued that partnerships should help countries become more capable and self-reliant.
S. Jaishankar called for reform of the United Nations Security Council, saying India and Africa should not remain underrepresented in global decision-making.
He argued that the Council neither works effectively nor represents countries fairly, and urged fair African representation in both membership categories.
Jaishankar cited India’s 2023 G20 presidency support for permanent African Union membership in the G20.
He said India-Africa trade was nearing USD 100 billion and that more than 220 Indian-supported development projects worth about USD 4.5 billion had been completed across Africa.
Speaking at Addis Ababa’s Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, he called for development partnerships that build local capabilities and cooperation on food security.
- Who
- India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
- What
- Called for reform of the United Nations Security Council and fairer representation for India and Africa in global decision-making.
- Where
- Adwa Victory Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- When
- Friday, October 10; the article does not specify the year.
- Why
- Jaishankar said the current global order does not represent countries fairly or serve their interests effectively.
Key facts
- Security Council membership
- 15 members: five permanent members and ten elected non-permanent members.
- Permanent members
- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- Non-permanent member terms
- The ten non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms and do not have veto powers.
- India-Africa trade
- Jaishankar said bilateral trade was nearing USD 100 billion.
- Development projects
- More than 220 Indian-supported projects, worth approximately USD 4.5 billion, had been completed across Africa.
- Tour itinerary
- Ethiopia was the final stop on Jaishankar’s three-nation African tour, which also included Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
- Address venue
- Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, Addis Ababa.
Quotes
S Jaishankar
India’s External Affairs Minister
“The essential question remains: who gets to decide our future? This is the quest that brings the Global South, especially India and Africa, together.”
theprint.in
“The current Council neither delivers effectively nor represents fairly. And the two shortcomings are clearly interconnected.”
theprint.in
Sources
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