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PM Modi to not address UNGA session, Jaishankar to deliver speech on Sep 28

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not address the annual debate at the United Nations General Assembly session here later this month, according to a revised provisional list of speakers issued by the UN. PM Modi is scheduled to travel to New York later this month and address a mega community event on September 22 at the 16,000-seater Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island. He will also address the UN's landmark 'Summit of the Future' that is being convened at the world body's headquarters on September 22 and 23. A provisional list of speakers for the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) issued by the UN in July had said that PM Modi would address the high-level debate on September 26. However, according to a revised provisional list of speakers issued by the UN on Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is now expected to address the General Debate on September 28. A note signed by Under Secretary General for General Assembly and ...

India lifted 800 mn people out of poverty 'simply by smartphone': UNGA prez

He highlighted how people in rural areas of India, are able to make payments and pay bills just on the touch of a smartphone

PM Modi likely to address high-level UN General Assembly session on Sep 26

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address the high-level UN General Assembly session here on September 26, according to a provisional list of speakers issued by the UN. The high-level General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly will take place from September 24-30. As per the provisional list of speakers for the General Debate issued by the UN on Monday, India's Head of Government is scheduled to address the high-level session in the afternoon of September 26. The list is not final and the UN releases updated provisional lists of speakers in the weeks leading up to the high-level session to reflect any modifications in attendance, schedules and speaking slots of leaders, ministers and ambassadors. Brazil, traditionally the first speaker at the debate, will open the high-level session on September 24, followed by the US, with American President Joe Biden delivering his current term's final address to global leaders from the iconic UN podium before his count

India abstains from UNGA resolution urging Russia to cease its aggression

India has abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and urgently withdraw its military and other unauthorised personnel from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on Thursday with 99 votes in favour, nine against and 60 abstentions, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Those voting against the resolution included Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Russia and Syria. The resolution titled Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant' demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. It also demanded that Russia urgently withdraw its military and other unauthorised personnel

Debate on annual report is 'ritual without much substance': India at UNGA

Mathur also stated that the annual report is also meant to be an analysis on the UN peacekeeping operations, but in reality there is little information on how peacekeeping operations

India votes for UNGA resolution backing Palestine's bid for UN membership

India on Friday voted in favour of a draft UN General Assembly resolution that said Palestine is qualified and should be admitted as full member of the United Nations and recommended that the Security Council reconsider" the matter favourably. The 193-member General Assembly met in the morning for an emergency special session where the Arab Group resolution Admission of new Members to the United Nations', in support of the State of Palestine's full membership in the UN, was presented by the United Arab Emirates, as Chair of the Arab Group in May. The resolution got 143 votes in favour, including by India, nine against and 25 abstentions. The UNGA hall broke into an applause after the vote was cast. The resolution determined that the State of Palestine is qualified for membership in the United Nations in accordance with Article 4 of the Charter of the United Nations and "should therefore be admitted to membership in the United Nations. It recommended that the Security Council ...

UNGA: India slams Pak, says it harbours dubious track record on all aspects

In a sharp retort, India has said Pakistan harbours a most dubious track record on all aspects, as it slammed destructive and pernicious remarks made by Islamabad's envoy in the UN General Assembly here. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj's stern response came after Pakistan's UN envoy Munir Akram made lengthy remarks against India, including references to Kashmir, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, during his address to the UN General Assembly meeting on Culture of Peace.' One final pointin this Assembly, as we endeavour to cultivate a culture of peace amid these challenging times, our focus remains steadfast on constructive dialogue. We thus choose to set aside the remarks from a certain delegation, which not only lack decorum but also detract from our collective efforts due to their destructive and pernicious nature, Kamboj said on Thursday. We would strongly encourage that delegation to align with the central principl

India's trajectory exemplifies that DPI facilitates equal chances: UNGA

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis has said India's trajectory exemplifies that Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is a fundamental driver of social transformation and progress and facilitates equal opportunities if accessed in an inclusive way. "Just as physical infrastructure is essential for economic growth, digital public infrastructure has emerged as a fundamental driver of social transformation and progress. If accessed in an inclusive way, it facilitates equal opportunities in every aspect of our lives. The trajectory of India exemplifies this," Francis, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly said. Francis was addressing the first conference at the United Nations on 'Citizen Stack: Digital Public Infrastructure, Transformative Technology for Citizens' organised here Thursday by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN together with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Assimilating India's first principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbaka

'UN keen on furthering MDB reforms initiated during India's G20 Presidency'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is keen on continuing the momentum of Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) reforms initiated during the G20 presidency of India, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission N. K. Singh has said. Singh, who had met Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York on April 12, said he had a positive interaction with the UN chief. Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed was also present during the meeting. Guterres was very keen on continuing the momentum of MDB reforms initiated during India's G20 Presidency and as contained in the 2 Vol. IEG Report, Singh said in a post on X, referring to the report of the Independent Expert Group. Singh said the report had been accepted by the G20 and, therefore, had ongoing traction. Guterres said that the UN would endeavour to keep this item high on the agenda for the Summit of the Future in September and thereafter in the Summit on Financing for Development in June 2025, Singh said. The ambitious Summit of the Futu

Vicious cycle of attack and counter-attack to lead nowhere: UNGA president

The Iranians have explained their action in the context of Article 51 of the UN Charter, following the recent Israeli attack on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, the release added

Sustainability has to be at core of development in 21st century: UNGA prez

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis has said that there is no conflict between promoting sustainability and economic growth and development, underscoring that sustainability has to be the anchor for development in the 21st century. Francis will convene the UN's first-ever Sustainability Week' April 15-19 under the theme Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future' at the world body's headquarters here. The week will feature dedicated events focused on sustainability in critical sectors such as tourism, infrastructure connectivity, transport, energy and debt. The reality is that sustainability has to be the anchor for development in the 21st century. Since we are talking about prioritizing people and the planet, the sustainability dimension of things lies at the very heart of everything we are seeking to do developmentally in the UN, Francis, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, told PTI in an exclusive interview here. We have identified five key areas or .

UNGA Prez Francis lauds digitalisation, infrastructure investment in India

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis has lauded India's use of digitalisation that has helped achieve financial inclusion and poverty reduction, underlining that this gives the country a comparative advantage and its lessons can be shared with the global community. Let me say first of all that since I've been to India, every time I think of India, I think Incredible India'. And I mean this in all earnest .And I saw it when I was there. The specific example to which I can refer is India's use of digitalisation, Francis, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, told PTI in an exclusive interview here. He referred to the country's tourism tagline of 'Incredible India.' Francis was in India from January 22-26 this year on an official visit, during which he held a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi and also travelled to Jaipur and Mumbai. During the visit, his interactions with government officials, civil society members a

India abstains in UNGA on Pakistan's draft resolution on Islamophobia

India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a draft resolution introduced by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China on Islamophobia, asserting that the prevalence of religiophobia against Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other faiths facing violence and discrimination must also be acknowledged rather than singling out just one religion. The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution Measures to combat Islamophobia', introduced by Pakistan on Friday, with 115 nations voting in favour, none against and 44 abstentions, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the UK. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj voiced condemnation of all acts motivated by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia but asserted that it is crucial to acknowledge that such phobias extend beyond Abrahamic religions. Clear evidence shows that over decades, followers of non-Abrahamic religions have also been affected by religiophobia. This has led to the

Mumbai's liveliness, energy, pace of development inspiring: UNGA chief

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Dennis Francis on Friday said he was inspired by the liveliness, energy and pace of development in Mumbai and shared that he has watched Hindi movies. The visiting dignitary made the comments during his meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a release from the CM Office said. UNGA is the main policy-making organ of the United Nations. Francis lauded the pace of infrastructure and housing development in Mumbai. Mumbai played an important part in India's industrialisation, he said. He recalled his country Trinidad and Tobago's close ties with India. He said the speaker's chair in the Trinidad assembly has been gifted by India, according to the release. The UNGA chief said he was a geography student and India was part of his studies. He said he has watched Hindi movies. Climate change is an important matter in Maharashtra, Shinde told Francis, elaborating that his government has taken steps like plastic ban, bamboo ...

President of UN General Assembly Francis to pay five-day visit to India

President of UN General Assembly Dennis Francis will kick-start a five-day visit to India beginning Monday during which New Delhi is expected to press him to make forward movement in long-pending reform of the Security Council. Besides holding talks with his Indian interlocutors in New Delhi, the top UN official will also travel to Jaipur and Mumbai. In Mumbai, Francis will pay floral tributes at the 26/11 memorial, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Saturday, announcing his visit from January 22-26. It said the visit by the President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (PGA) to India will also be an opportunity to enhance the country's collaboration with the global body. "The PGA's visit to India presents a unique opportunity to strengthen India-UN ties and especially with the General Assembly, which is the most representative organ of the United Nations," the MEA said in a statement. The UN official is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with External Affair

UN Security Council caught in concerning state of paralysis: UNGA chief

The UN Security Council is caught in a "concerning state of paralysis" and aims to serve the predominance of Global North countries, UNGA President Dennis Francis has said, underlining the need for representation and equitable participation of developing nations in decision-making in a reformed Council. Underlining that reform is our collective task and responsibility, Francis said that as the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, he believes that we need a Council that is more balanced, representative, responsive, democratic and transparent. As conflicts seem to be spreading across the globe, the Security Council whose primary responsibility is to maintain international peace and security, however, seems caught in a concerning state of paralysis, Francis said. With its unsatisfactory discharge of its crucial mandate, the Council is perceived as falling short of its mandate, consequently, compromising the credibility of the entire UN itself, he said. Francis was ..

India votes in favour of UNGA resolution on immediate ceasefire in Gaza

India voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a shift in New Delhi's stance about two months after it abstained on a text that had called for truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict. "India has voted in favour of the resolution just adopted by the General Assembly, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj said after the vote on Tuesday. "We welcome the fact that the international community has been able to find a common ground to address the multiple challenges facing the region right now," she said. The 193-member UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted the draft resolution Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations' at an emergency special session, with 153 nations voting in favour, 10 against and 23 abstentions. The resolution was adopted amid a round of applause in the General Assembly hall. Those voting against included Austria, Israel and the US while Germany, Hungary,

Palestinians hope vote in UNGA will show wide support for a Gaza cease-fire

The Palestinians are hoping that a vote Tuesday in the UN General Assembly on a nonbinding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire will demonstrate widespread global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war, now in its third month. After the United States vetoed a resolution in the Security Council on Friday demanding a humanitarian cease-fire, Arab and Islamic nations called for an emergency session of the 193-member General Assembly on Tuesday afternoon to vote on a resolution making the same demand. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding. But as UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Monday, the assembly's messages "are also very important" and reflect world opinion. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the defeated resolution in the Security Council was cosponsored by 103 countries, and he is hoping for more cosponsors and a high vote for the .

India supports resolution demanding Israel's withdrawal from Syrian Golan

India has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Syrian Golan. The Syrian Golan is a region in southwest Syria that was occupied by Israeli forces on June 5, 1967. The 193-member UN General Assembly voted on the draft resolution The Syrian Golan' under agenda item The situation in the Middle East' on Tuesday. The resolution, introduced by Egypt, was adopted by a recorded vote with 91 in favour, eight against and 62 abstentions. Apart from India, those voting in favour of the resolution included Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. Australia, Canada, Israel, the UK and the US voted against it. The resolution said it is deeply concerned that Israel has not withdrawn from the Syrian Golan, which has been under occupation since 1967, contrary to the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The ...

India absent from voting on resolution to build better world through sports

India did not participate in voting on a UN General Assembly resolution on building a peaceful and better world through sport and recognising the role of sports in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism as well as promoting human rights. The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution Building a Peaceful and Better World through Sport and the Olympic Ideal' tabled by France on Tuesday. The resolution has been traditionally adopted by consensus but this year, Russia called for a recorded vote on the text for it to be adopted. Of the 193 UN member states, 120 voted in the UNGA on the resolution, which received 118 votes in favour and none against, with Russia and Syria abstaining. India was among the 73 nations that were absent from voting on the resolution. The resolution recognised the contribution of sports in creating an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding among peoples and nations, its role to prevent and counter terrorism and violent ..