Spurring to fight against global menace, Sushma Swaraj pledges to combat ‘terrorism’ unitedly at NAM Conference
Azerbaijan, April 4: “Terrorism is one of the foremost threats to international peace and security,” said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj while addressing the 18th mid-term ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Baku.
Talking about the significance NAM Meeting, Sushma Swaraj “the fundamental values and principles on which the Non-Aligned Movement is based are, therefore, even more, relevant today.”
Highlighting the menace of ‘terrorism’, EAM Sushma Swaraj said that it maims and kills ‘our citizens’ and undermines the ability to attain development goals. India remains committed to the shared goal of the global elimination of nuclear weapons. Further continuing speaking, she pushed for reforms of the United Nations Security Council.
She said that no effort to reform the UN will be complete without reforms of the United Nations Security Council. India had been strongly pushing for completing the long-pending reforms of the powerful Security Council. “Unfortunately, the talks about combating terrorism have not been matched by our actions. The strengthening and implementation, without double standards of existing international laws and mechanisms to fight the menace of terrorism is an imperative,” the minister added.
The 18th NAM Ministerial meeting was chaired by Jorge Arreaza, Foreign Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
“As a first step, let us renew our commitment to finalize the (Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism) CCIT. NAM countries must galvanize the international community towards this goal,” Sushma Swaraj said. At last UN General Assembly High Level segment, a strong desire was voiced by the international community for change and reforms at the United Nations, she said.
Pointing out at the Palestinian issue, she said “India’s support to the Palestinian cause has been a reference point of our foreign policy. At this juncture, this would be a good way for NAM to manifest its solidarity with the Palestinian people.” Further Sushma Swaraj added “the time has come to move to the next phase and commence text based negotiations – a demand made by an overwhelming majority of UN members including most NAM members.”
“In 2015, we adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to find solutions of the developmental challenges we face. We also promised that no one will be left behind. Genuine global partnerships have to be forged if the SDGs are to be achieved. Financing for Development is, therefore, of utmost importance to NAM countries,” Swaraj added.
Protecting the environment of the planet is a moral responsibility. Global action on the basis of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities is now an even greater imperative, she said. India along with France launched the International Solar Alliance through which more than 60 countries have joined to promote greater use of solar energy, she said.
“Finding energy sources that are cost effective, environmentally sustainable will be vital for achieving our SDGs, while ensuring that we protect mother Earth for future generations,” Swaraj added.
Early in the day, EAM Sushma Swaraj got clicked for the group photo of 120-member strong Non-Aligned Movement before kicking off the 18th NAM Ministerial Conference in Baku.
After calling on Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday, EAM Sushma Swaraj said the two countries were committed to strengthening ties in a range of issues including trade and investment, connectivity and transportation, culture and tourism etc.
EAM Swaraj is on her 3-day visit to Azerbaijan, with an effort to boost bilateral relations between India and Azerbaijan. NAM plays a crucial role in the preservation of world peace. The 1st ever summit of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries was convened by the leaders of India, Indonesia, Egypt, Syria and Yugoslavia. The movement played a fundamental role in extending support to nations which were struggling for their independence and provided unity in their times of need.