India to take over UNSC presidency today, Ruchira Kamboj is President
01 Dec 2022 09:24:51
By Arul Louis
UNITED NATIONS,
INDIA will take over the Presidency of the UN Security Council on Thursday at a time of an acute international crisis that will call upon its diplomatic skills in the UN’s highest decision-making body paralysed in the face of an invasion by a permanent member of a neighbour.
Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj will step in as President of a deeply polarised Council where the West is ranged against Moscow and Beijing in a situation exacerbated by veto-wielding Russia’s devastating war against Ukraine. India will use its presidency to continue to put a spotlight on terrorism, an imminent threat.
Kamboj on Tuesday met Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as well as President of the General Assembly Csaba Korosi and discussed priorities during its presidency of the powerful body.
“Today, delighted to call on Secretary-General @antonioguterres. Discussed the priorities and programme of work ahead of India’s December Presidency in the @UN Security Council,” Kamboj tweeted on Tuesday.
On Monday, Kamboj met Korosi, who tweeted: “Always a great pleasure to meet with India’s PR @ruchirakamboj.
Today’s discussions focused on India’s presidency of the Security Council, which begins on Thursday. I look forward to the month ahead.” India’s 2021-2022 term on the Council ends December 31, with Kamboj, India’s first woman Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York sitting in the President’s seat at the powerful horseshoe table for the month. India will also take over the year-long G20 Presidency from December 1. Countering terrorism and reformed multilateralism will be among the key priorities for India during its UNSC presidency that will culminate in the completion of its two-year tenure as non-permanent member of the 15-nation powerful body.