World order under serious stress, EAM S Jaishankar tells UNSC

Jaishankar said that the nature of threats faced by member states when the United Nations was founded 75 years ago are not limited to territorial or political disputes, but transcend physical or political boundaries.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday (April 19, 2021) told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the world order built 'following the Second World War is under serious stress' and highlighted how 'security challenges' have also changed.

Speaking at an event on cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations, the EAM said, "Nature of threats faced by member states when the United Nations was founded 75 years ago has also changed and are not limited to territorial or political disputes, but transcend physical or political boundaries."

During his address, Jaishankar also mentioned India's ties with groupings like ASEAN, BIMSTEC, and African Union. 

S Jaishankar called India's relationship with ASEAN a 'key pillar of its foreign policy' and the 'foundation of its Act East Policy'. 

Pointing out to India's 'close cooperation with the African Union', the EAM said that it's aimed at 'development partnership initiatives'. This is pertinent to note that India has been engaging with Africa with high-level visits. 

Interestingly, this year has also seen the foreign ministers of Eritrea and Ethiopia visiting Delhi, with a focus on many things including a briefing on the Tigray crisis.

During the address, the EAM also batted for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping, saying that India remains committed to further building on the momentum of regional cooperation under the grouping that makes it 'stronger, vibrant, and more effective and result-oriented. 

The BIMSTEC is a more than 20 years old grouping formed in 1997 and has 7 members namely India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Earlier in 2019, India had invited the heads of the group to the oath-taking ceremony of PM Narendra Modi for the 2nd term.

This was the third time that EAM Jaishankar was speaking at the high table since this January. 

India, notably, became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for a period of two years starting January 1, 2021.