NEW YORK: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar of India, Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, and South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola held a meeting on Thursday during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The ministers emphasized the need for collective efforts to combat terrorism globally.
During the meeting, the ministers called for coordinated action against all terrorist individuals and groups listed by the United Nations, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and other affiliated proxy groups. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to jointly work towards the swift adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN General Assembly.
The joint statement released after the meeting underscored the importance of enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation. The ministers also highlighted the need to reform the UN Security Council Sanctions Committees to make them more effective, responsive, and transparent. They called for objective, evidence-based criteria in decision-making processes to avoid politicization and double standards.
The ministers strongly condemned terrorism in all forms, asserting that it is a global threat that must be eradicated. They stressed the importance of eliminating terrorist safe havens worldwide and reiterated that counter-terrorism efforts must respect international law, particularly the United Nations Charter and human rights laws.
The leaders urged the international community to build a broad, unified counter-terrorism framework in line with international law and emphasized the United Nations' key role in coordinating global counter-terrorism actions. They also reiterated the responsibility of all nations to prevent and combat terrorism, including stopping the cross-border movement of terrorists and disrupting the financial networks supporting terrorism.
The IBSA Dialogue Forum, consisting of India, Brazil, and South Africa, is a unique platform that unites these pluralistic, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious nations. The forum was established in 2003, aiming to enhance cooperation among these emerging economies on global issues.
Sharing his views on social media, Jaishankar expressed satisfaction with the productive IBSA meeting. He highlighted the group's shared commitment to global development, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), poverty eradication, multilateralism, and reforms within the UN system and its Security Council. Jaishankar emphasized the urgency of intensifying consultations as these discussions gain importance.
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