By Shweta Tyagi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the 75th U.N. anniversary, raised a key point highlighting that ‘UN needs a rebirth’ pertaining to the body’s formation and approach to conflict resolution. Asserting the feelings of India’s 1.3 billion people, he further added, “Where has the UN been in this fight against the COVID-19 ?” His vision is very much true in the light of 2020 theme that calls for “The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism”.
Antonio Gutteres, UN Secretary General remarked that we have ‘Surplus of multilateral challenges but deficit of multilateral solutions’. He called gender inequality the “greatest single challenge for human rights” globally. Biodiversity “collapsing”, hatred that was engendering geopolitical tensions and increasing the threat from nuclear weapons, were among the challenges he listed.
In an Interim UN75 Report, The immediate priority everywhere with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, is improved access to basic services including health care, safe water and sanitation, and education. Other priorities discussed were to send greater support to the places hardest hit by the pandemic to address poverty, inequalities, and unemployment; etc. But now, for immediate pandemic recovery, a clarion call voiced for improved access to basic services and greater support to the places hardest hit.
In their Declaration, leaders have resolved to leave no one behind, protect the planet, promote peace, build trust, improve digital cooperation, ensure sustainable financing, boost partnerships, all this points out to upgrading the UN. Multilateralism is a necessary tool for a more equal, more resilient, and sustainable world, especially in the light of the 2030 Agenda.
A change in the structure of the UN is the demand of the time. On the other hand, U.S.’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Cherith Norman Chalet, delivered remarks on the country’s behalf.
There is a need to work together with partners to strengthen coordination and global governance for the common good of present and future generations. ‘Report of the UN Economist Network for the UN 75th Anniversary: Shaping the Trends of Our Time’ was launched on 16 September 2020 and pressed for an opportunity for a global commitment to digital cooperation, which could enshrine goals, principles, and priority actions.
Expressing concern about the “climate calamity”, the UN must call for concrete actions to support those who are left behind and to tackle climate change, among other issues. With the Indian philosophy of Vasudev Kutumbhakam (the world is one family), more than showing solidarity, we need to ACT now.
“In the changed circumstances of the post-pandemic era, we are moving forward with the vision of a self-reliant India.
The UN75 Declaration resolves to take action on a range of subjects from digital cooperation to reform of the UN and must focus on real actions. It should aim at problem solving as it advances, security, development and human rights in parallel. The issue of development should be highlighted in the global macro framework,”
“Climate change and environmental degradation have no positive side, and must be reversed alongside achieving the SDGs in our parallel effort with pandemic. Realising these goals simultaneously can propel more effective, mutually reinforcing outcomes for the greater good, much beyond 2030.
We need a UN that is more innovative with a “stronger stewardship and more relevant to 21st century challenges.
