India’s Campaign Brochure for UNSC Seat

• 06 Jun 2020

Why in News

Recently, India has released a campaign brochure ahead of the vote for the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2021-22.

• This will be the eighth time India will occupy a non-permanent UNSC seat, with its last term in 2011-2012.
• India also seeks for a permanent membership in the UNSC.
  
  • India along with other countries of G4 grouping (Japan, Brazil and Germany) is asking for a spot for permanent membership in UNSC.
  • Five permanent members: China, France, the Russian Federation, the UK and the USA.

Key Points

• India is guaranteed a place as it is the sole candidate for Asia-Pacific but needs two-thirds of the 193-member General Assembly to vote in its favour in a secret ballot scheduled for 17^th June, 2020 in New York (USA).
• Issues Highlighted:
  
  • International governance has been under increasing strain due to traditional and non-traditional security challenges. Terrorism is one of the most cited examples.
  • Unreformed and under-representative global institutions and the Covid-19 pandemic with its economic impact has increased challenges for the UNSC.
• India’s Solutions:
  
  • Its objective will be the achievement of N.O.R.M.S: a New Orientation for a Reformed Multilateral System.
  • India will highlight international terrorism, United Nations reforms and Security Council expansion, streamlining the peacekeeping operations and technology initiatives during its upcoming tenure.
• Background:
  
  • Since 2013, India has been planning for a seat in 2021 as the year will mark its 75^th year of Independence.
  • Identifying an uncontested spot is not an easy task.
  • However, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan agreed to set aside for the 2021-22 seat, in a friendly gesture.
  • India also persuaded the Asia-Pacific grouping nomination by diplomacy and negotiations to avoid any last-minute contenders against India.
    
    • India was able to win a unanimous endorsement from the 55-nation grouping that included both China and Pakistan, in June 2019.
  • However, winning the maximum votes at the General Assembly this time will be a little hard for India due to:
    
    • Rising tensions in relations with both Pakistan and China.
    • Criticism from Turkey, Malaysia and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over the government’s decision on scrapping Article 370 as well as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.

Selection of Non-permanent Members of Security Council

• Each year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of ten in total) for a two-year term. The ten non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis:
  
  • Five for African and Asian countries.
  • One for Eastern European countries.
  • Two for Latin American and Caribbean countries.
  • Two for Western European and other countries.
• Article 23 of the UN Charter concerns the composition of the Security Council.
• Other Contenders for Other Seats:
  
  • Mexico is expected to be elected unopposed for the Latin American group.
  • Canada, Ireland and Norway will contend for two seats of the West European and Others Group (WEOG).
  • Kenya and Djibouti will contend for an African seat.

Way Forward

• India for long has been of the view that the UNSC sought to be reformed by expansion in its permanent membership and non-permanent membership as well.
• India has been acknowledged as a rising power by most of the states. Also, there is a pressing need to democratize multilateral fora, starting from the United Nation system itself. In this context, India is making a legitimate claim for its rightful place in the changing architecture of global governance, including the UNSC.

Source: TH