UNGA president lauds ‘world pharmacy’ India for help during COVID-19 pandemic

Terming India as the world’s pharmacy, UNGA president Abdulla Shahid on Monday said that New Delhi has reached not only the neighbouring countries but also as far as Latin America and the Pacific and has shown its human face of compassion.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shahid, the Foreign Minister of Maldives, who is on a visit to India, said, “India is the world’s pharmacist and has reached out to several countries. I have found that India has reached not only the neighboring countries but also as far as Latin America and the Pacific. India has really shown its human face of compassion.” Moreover, while speaking on the menace of terrorism, he highlighted that “when it comes to terrorism, we have to agree that it has no religion, no creed, and it is pure evil. The world should be able to unite against this.”

Calling out for reforms in UN governance, Shahid on Monday said that the Security Council must reflect the reality of geopolitics of the current world order.

“The IG and the inter-governmental negotiating process for the security council reform have been going on for 14 years. Time and time again I have during this one year, called on the member states to hasten this process because the security council has to be reflective of the current geopolitics of the world, it cannot be a thing of the past because it that happens the credibility of the organ itself will continue to fail.”

This statement is in resonance with India’s call for UN reforms.

At a UNSC briefing on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Promote Common Security Through Dialogue and Cooperation”, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj noted, “The most urgent thing therefore for us to do is to make the Security Council more representative of developing countries, so as to reflect current geopolitical realities.”

While noting the dynamic leadership of UNGA President and Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday praised his work in revitalizing the UN and added that his visit to India will further bolster the multi-faceted ties with the Maldives.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, on Sunday, called on Shahid and discussed further deepening of India’s relations with the Maldives.

Secretary Kwatra congratulated the UNGA President on his ‘Presidency of Hope’ and for his visionary leadership in the 76th session of the UNGA. Notably, in November, the UNGA president launched the President of the General Assembly’s (PGA) Harnessing Opportunities for Promoting Empowerment of Youth Fellowship – the PGA’s Fellowship for HOPE.

With the generous support of Member States, the Fellowship seeks to benefit eight young diplomats over the remainder of the 76th session.

Shahid, who arrived in Delhi on Sunday, held a productive visit, meeting and interacted with members of the UN Country Team, to enhance the India-UN relationship.

The UN Country team hosted the UNGA president at the UN House in New Delhi. “Inspiring exchange on his 5 Rays of Hope for unity through turbulence, overcoming Covid and empowering women & youth. Underlined India’s leadership role at all levels for Sustainable Development Goals,” Kwatra said.

Last year, in his address to the opening of the 76th General Debate, Shahid talked about his five rays of hope.

“Vaccinating the world is my top focus. We simply must close the gap on vaccine access,” he said of his first hope. The second is rebuilding sustainably from the pandemic. Third, he promised to address climate change. The fourth hope for his presidency is related to gender issues and the fifth is on uplifting the rights and roles of women globally.