Our Common Agenda

Consultations on Thematic Cluster 3

“Frameworks for a Peaceful World – Promoting Peace, International Law, and Digital Cooperation” [21 February 2022]

Statement by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

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Mr. President,

We thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s consultations, and USG Turk for his briefing. We will comment briefly on some specific elements of Cluster 3, and submit detailed inputs in writing.

[Para 89] New Agenda for Peace

2. The threat terrorism poses to international peace and security remains potent and is only growing. The importance of combatting terrorism has not been acknowledged adequately in the report while it should be central to the New Agenda for Peace.

3. All member States must fulfill their obligations in international counter terrorism instruments and implement the Global Counterterrorism Strategy without seeking to undermine it. It is equally important not to justify or provide excuses for terrorism. We need to strengthen the CT regime, especially combatting financing of terrorism and preventing new and emerging technologies being misused by terrorists. We must hold Member State violators accountable. Our fight is against radical ideologies provoking terror, not political ideologies in a democracy.

4. We reiterate the need for early finalization of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

5. On Peacebuilding, as a democracy, we are conscious of the need to prioritize institution building, in particular governance structures to strengthen institutional capacity and the rule of law, taking into account the views of the host government.

6. Adequate financing for peacebuilding is an imperative. We need to re-prioritize funds to peacebuilding.

7. We also need to address the gap in mandate between peacekeeping and peace building. This gap is hurting our ability to counter terrorists thereby causing existential crisis to countries in conflict.

[Para 93] Digital Cooperation

8. On digital cooperation, we underscore that access to technology should not lead to widening disparities between the developed countries and the Global South. The ongoing digital revolution needs to be inclusive and citizen-centric leaving no one behind.

9. It is also crucial to address the unprecedented challenges posed by new technologies, including invasion of privacy, promotion of disinformation, infiltration of critical infrastructure through cyber-attacks etc.

10. Transfer of technology and capacity building is critical to achieve SDGs. India will continue to share its expertise in building a whole-of-society approach to digital technology, including under South-South cooperation.

[Para 127] Reform of principal UN organs

11. We cannot expect any ‘New Agenda for Peace’ if we continue to confront contemporary challenges with outdated institutions. The Security Council is in need of urgent and comprehensive reforms to reflect the current geopolitical realities. We count on the Secretary General to take forward the commitment of our leaders to instill new life in the process of Security Council reform, since the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process is stopped from progressing and held hostage by a handful of countries.

[Paras 34, 113, 129] - Racism, discrimination, human rights

12. The most definitive guarantee against racial prejudice, discrimination and xenophobia is nurturing of democracy and pluralism with respect for diversity. We should also not shy away from confronting contemporary forms of hatred, including against non-Abrahamic religions.

13. The Universal Periodic Review is a constructive and participatory platform for human rights. We must avoid politicisation of human rights issues and desist from taking selective 'naming and shaming' approach.

14. More clarity is required on the proposed new United Nations system-wide agenda for protection of human rights.

I thank you.

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