Debate on annual report has become ritual without much substance: India at UNGA

The annual report of the United Nations Security Council should inform highlight and analyse the measures taken to maintain international peace and security but today the debate on the report has become a ritual without much substance India said at the UN General AssemblyPratik Mathur the Minister at Indias Permanent Mission to the United Nations delivered the statement at the UNGA debate on the annual report He also stressed the need for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council with expansion of both permanent and nonpermanent membersWe welcome the opportunity to participate in the debate on the Report of the Security Council We thank the members of the Security Council and the Secretariat for producing the annual report of the Security Council Mathur said India also joins others in congratulating new incoming members for having been elected to the Council for the period 20252026 We look forward to working with them in a constructive and positive manner he addedThe Indian diplomat pointed out that the UN Charter bestows on the report a profound seriousness as is evident from the fact that there exists a separate provision mandating such a report rather than clubbing it with the provision for reports from other UN bodiesThe annual report of the Security Council must inform highlight and analyse the measures that it has decided upon or taken to maintain international peace and security during the reporting period the Indian diplomat saidHowever the debate on the annual report has become a ritual without much substance The annual reports have become compendium containing details of the meetings briefers and outcome documents Last year only six monthly reports were compiledreflecting lack of interest among the members about this ritual he further saidMathur also stated that the annual report is also meant to be an analysis on the UN peacekeeping operations but in reality there is little information on how peacekeeping operations He also said there should be a definite timeline for completing the report circulating to wider General Assembly members and holding the debateThe annual report in its truest form is also meant to be an analysis on the UN peacekeeping operations the flagship tool for the maintenance of international peace and security However in reality we find there is little information on how peacekeeping operations are run on the problems they face on why certain mandates are set or changed or on when and why they are strengthened scaled down or ended As most peacekeepers are contributed by nonCouncil members who put the lives of their troops at risk to serve the cause of international peace a better partnership between the Security Council and the Troop Contributing Countries TCCs is needed Mathur saidThe Indian diplomat stressed the need to bring the Council in line with its Charter responsibility to act on behalf of the entire membership adding that the only remedy is a comprehensive reform of the Security Council involving expansion in its permanent and nonpermanent categoriesIt is high time to bring the Council in line with its Charter responsibility to act on behalf of the entire Membership This will not be achieved without enhancing the membership in both the categories permanent and nonpermanent members the Indian diplomat saidWe remain convinced that the only remedy is a comprehensive reform of the Security Council involving expansion in its permanent and nonpermanent categories Only this will enable the Council to manage effectively todays conflicts around the globe as well as the increasingly complex and interconnected global challenges it faces today he further addedHe further added that the Security Council too needs to prove its credibility and improve its performance at a time when performance assessment has become one of the focus areas at the United NationsSince performance assessment has become one of the focus areas at the United Nations the Security Council too needs to prove its credibility and improve its performance We hope that the views and comments expressed by the Member States are given serious consideration he statedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever