IBSA Foreign Ministers Call for Urgency of Re-Engaging in Pursuit of Peace

In contrast to divisive narratives that only serve to reinforce the current scenario of fragmentation and geopolitical polarisation, the Foreign Ministers of India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) noted with concern the escalation of geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world during the standalone meeting on Friday and stressed the urgency of re-engaging in the pursuit of peace.

New Delhi:The Foreign Ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) during the standalone meeting on Friday noted with concern the escalation of geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world and stressed the urgency of re-engaging in the pursuit of peace, in contrast to divisive narratives that only serve to reinforce the current scenario of fragmentation and geopolitical polarisation, according to the Ministerial declaration.

India's Minister of State of External Affairs V Muraleedharan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Amb. Mauro Vieira, and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Grace Naledi Pandor, held a standalone meeting on February 22, in Rio de Janeiro, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

In the ministerial declaration, the IBSA ministers stressed the need for dialogue for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and the need for strengthening tools for conflict prevention like mediation and preventive diplomacy. They reiterated their commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and multilateralism.

They affirmed the need for reformed, revitalised and reinvigorated multilateralism aimed at implementing the 2030 agenda, to adequately address contemporary global challenges of the 21st century and to make global governance more representative, democratic, effective, transparent and accountable.

The MEA said that furthermore, the ministers underscored the importance of the Peace Building Commission in bringing a strategic approach. They recognised the Commission’s role in advising and acting as a bridge to United Nations bodies and facilitating the inclusion of perspectives of relevant stakeholders, including international financial institutions, on peacebuilding.

During the IBSA standalone meeting, stressing the need to reform the UN Security Council, the Ministers renewed their commitment to work for the expansion of Security Council membership to include representation from developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, in both the permanent and non-permanent membership categories for achieving a reformed, representative, equitable, responsive and effective UN Security Council, which is reflective of the contemporary global realities.

They supported the legitimate aspiration of African countries to have a permanent presence in the UNSC and supported Brazil's and India's endeavours to occupy permanent seats in the Security Council, further appreciating the role of India and Brazil as members of the UN Security Council for 2021-2022 and 2022-23, respectively, the MEA added.

According to the MEA, the ministers deplored the continued terrorist attacks across the world. "They condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations wherever committed and by whomsoever. They concurred that terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought, and terrorist safe havens eliminated in every part of the world while reaffirming their solidarity and resolve in the fight against terrorism," the MEA said.

The MEA added that the IBSA ministers called upon the international community to establish a genuinely broad international counter-terrorism framework in accordance with the principles of international law and support the United Nations' central coordinating role in international counter-terrorism cooperation.

"The Ministers reiterated their resolve to step up joint efforts for the expeditious adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UNGA," the MEA stated.

As per the joint ministerial statement, they looked forward to further deepening counter-terrorism cooperation, reaffirmed the sole authority of the UN Security Council for imposing sanctions and called for urgent reform of the working methods of UN Security Council Sanctions Committees to ensure their effectiveness, responsiveness, and transparency while avoiding politicisation and double standards of any of their proceedings including listing proposals objectively on evidence-based criteria.

IBSA is a unique Forum which brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges. The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia on 6 June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration. India is the current IBSA Chair.

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