“Conversations have become difficult, agreements even more difficult,” he said. “This is certainly not what the founders of the UN would have wanted for us. Reforming multilateralism is therefore an absolute necessity.”
The General Assembly must ask itself the question: “How could this happen?” he said.
“All change has to start somewhere, and there is no better place than where it started,” he continued.
“We, the members of the United Nations, must now devote ourselves seriously and purposefully to that task. If we continue like this, the state of the world will only worsen, and that could mean more of us will fall behind.
For its part, India has sought to respond in several ways, including targeted policies and initiatives focused on issues of the vulnerable, women, farmers and youth, from guaranteed access to piped water, electricity, cooking gas and new homes to financial support for food producers.
India has also expanded employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, created digital infrastructure for public services and convened three Global South summits, while also responding to urgent needs in 78 countries.
“In these difficult times, it is necessary to provide hope and revive optimism,” he said.
“If India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G stack, ships vaccines around the world, embraces fin-tech or hosts so many Global Capability Centers, there is a message here. Our search for one Viksit Bharator developed India, will understandably be closely monitored.”
However, problems remain, he said, underscoring that many countries are falling behind due to circumstances beyond their control. But some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences, with neighboring Pakistan, “a dysfunctional nation that covets the land of others,” as an example. As such, he emphasized, “Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed.”
When it comes to decisions on important issues, large parts of the world cannot be left behind, he said, emphasizing that an effective, efficient UN must be more representative and fit for purpose.
“Let us therefore send a clear message from this meeting of the UN General Assembly: we are determined not to be left behind,” he said. “By coming together, sharing experiences, pooling resources and strengthening our resolve, we can change the world for the better.”
