With India in its eighth two-year tenure as an elected-member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), following is the thirteenth analysis in the ICWA series of ‘India in the UN Security: Monthly Recap’ by Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, Former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations
Norway presided over the UN Security Council (UNSC) in January 2022. Five members elected from the regional groups joined the UNSC for their two-year term beginning this month – Albania from the Western (WEOG), Brazil from GRULAC, Gabon and Ghana from Africa, and UAE representing the Arab group, accommodated in the UNSC every alternate year by the Asia-Pacific and the Africa groups giving one of their seats.
Norway’s declared priorities on the UNSC agenda were women, peace, and security, and the protection of civilians in urban conflict situations. Norway also decided that the UNSC regular debate on the Middle East during the month would be chaired by its Foreign Minister to “draw greater attention to the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.
Two UNSC resolutions (on Libya and Cyprus) were adopted during the month. Four UNSC Press Statements (on Yemen, terror acts in the UAE and Iraq, and Colombia) were issued by UNSC.
Asian Issues
Afghanistan: UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the UNSC on 26 January that Afghanistan was facing its worst drought in two decades, pushing 9 million people closer to famine. More than 80 per cent of the population relied on contaminated drinking water, and some families were selling their babies to purchase food. The failing economy had impacted on human rights, especially of women and girls, while terrorism remained a constant threat not only to the security of Afghanistan, but to the entire world. He called for suspending the restrictions on Afghanistan to give financial institutions and commercial partners legal assurance that they could work with humanitarian operators. His forthcoming Report would propose a “One-United Nations Transitional Engagement Framework for Afghanistan” to support security, progress and human rights. UN teams would ensure that funds go to the Afghan people most in need and were not diverted.
Deborah Lyons (of Canada) Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) suggested three steps to respond to the challenge in Afghanistan. First, the Taliban must initiate a long‑overdue wider dialogue on national reconciliation. Second, greater ethnic inclusion in governing structures should be prioritized. Third, fundamental rights including of women and children must be upheld. She commended the cautious, constructive approach of regional countries after August 2021, highlighting the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting hosted by Pakistan in December 2021.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway, who chaired the meeting, briefed on Norway’s initiative to host a high-level Taliban delegation in Oslo recently, which was aimed to enable non-Taliban women and men from Afghan civil society to engage the Taliban in a dialogue on the way forward. He asserted that Norway’s initiative did not bestow international recognition on the de facto regime. He asked the UNSC to provide UNAMA with a comprehensive and robust mandate to engage with the Taliban; monitor and report on the human rights situation; and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and support.
The United States informed on steps being taken by it to ensure sanctions did not obstruct humanitarian assistance, calling on the Taliban to ensure safe, free, unhindered humanitarian access, free movement for aid workers and the provision of assistance to all vulnerable people, regardless of identity. It said the Taliban must also demonstrate their fidelity to counter-terrorism commitments and respect for human rights, particularly those of women and girls.
France said the Taliban had not severed ties with terrorist groups, and had instead invited them into their administration. Cautioning that the terrorist risk emerging from Afghanistan was transnational and cross-border, it urged the international community to call on the Taliban to cut ties with these groups. Russia wanted the Taliban to tackle illicit drugs and respect human rights with comprehensive assistance provided by the international community.
China felt humanitarian aid delivery since the adoption of resolution 2615 (2021) had shown that the issue was not one of obstructions, but of politicization, as some parties sought to use aid as a bargaining chip. It said engagement with the Taliban leadership should be enhanced in a rational and pragmatic manner, as exemplified by Norway’s recent dialogue initiative.
The UK underscored the need for constructive engagement by the Taliban on aid delivery under humanitarian principles. It underscored the need for inclusive governance and urged the Taliban to ensure that terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaida, could never again organize, raise funds or plan attacks from Afghan territory.
The UAE mentioned its role in evacuating more than 40,000 individuals, and expressed the hope that the Taliban’s positive engagement with UNAMA would help ensure the Mission’s success in implementing its mandate.
India said that the priorities should be issues related to providing immediate humanitarian assistance; ensuring the formation of a truly inclusive and representative government; combating terrorism and drug trafficking; and preserving the rights of women, children and the minorities. As Afghanistan’s largest regional development partner, India was willing to coordinate with other stakeholders to work towards enabling expeditious provision of much needed humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. The UNSG’s report to the Security Council, which was expected shortly, must be holistic, and contain strategic and operational recommendations for the mandate of UNAMA.
Syria: On 5 January Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu told the UNSC that Syria’s declaration of its chemical weapons programme was incomplete in the context of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Russia said the Syrian chemical weapons dossier was among the most “politicized” dossiers on the Council’s agenda. The OPCW Director-General had been invited to Damascus, but refused the invitation. The United States noted that Syria had blocked the next round of consultations for the past nine months, and had failed to accept the proposed solutions by OPCW. China called on countries to desist from politicizing OPCW’s work.
India called for upholding the integrity and credibility of the Chemical Weapons Convention, and to arrive at conclusions based on facts and evidence. India also cautioned against the possibility of terrorists getting access to chemical weapons including in the region.
On 27 January, the UNSC was briefed on an attempted prison break in the north-east town of Al-Hasakah which was not in control of the Syrian government by thousands of detainees with suspected links to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh). Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov the Head of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism told the UNSC that this prison attack was a reminder that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) still posed a grave threat in the region, across Africa and beyond. Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, said that most of the ISIL fighters had now surrendered. The Special Envoy spoke of his recent visits to Tehran and Doha, as well as a meeting with the Syrian Negotiations Commission and with the Astana Guarantors, all aimed at promoting “step-by-step” confidence-building measures and more frank negotiations. He also noted his plan to reconvene the Syrian-led, Syrian-owned, United Nations-facilitated Constitutional Committee, urging the parties to be prepared to find some common ground on that crucial front “or at least narrow differences”. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, spoke of the adverse impact of the collapsed Syrian economy on relief, civilian protection, and access to basic social services.
The United States supported the pursuit of lasting peace through various avenues, including by sustaining the coalition campaign to prevent the resurgence of ISIL/Da’esh, which remained a real threat, as demonstrated by the on-going situation at the detention centre in Hasakah. Full, unhindered humanitarian access across Syria and open border crossings would ensure that growing needs across the country were met. Russia conveyed that according to Syria its government representatives were ready to travel to Switzerland for the seventh session of the Constitutional Committee. China said that the theft of oil from the north-east and the construction of settlements in the Golan Heights constituted serious violations of Syria’s rights. It proposed combining the UNSC’s current practice of holding three sessions on Syria every month into a single session. France stressed that there was no reason to normalize relations with Syria, without a solid political solution, and sanctions should be lifted when reconstruction took place at the end of the political process, and not ahead of it.
India reiterated the need for commitment by all parties, in particular the external players, to a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN-facilitated political process in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. There was need for promoting projects, which would bring much needed jobs and economic opportunities for the Syrian people and thereby help to ease shortfalls. India called for an assessment by UN agencies to check allegations of siphoning of humanitarian aid for Syria by terrorist groups.
Yemen: At the regular UNSC briefing on Yemen on 12 January, Hans Grundberg, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, described the country as increasingly fractured — politically, economically and militarily, and reiterated that a comprehensive political framework was necessary to achieve sustainable results. This framework would aim to facilitate incremental progress in all areas in parallel. The United States, Russia and China supported the Special Envoy’s efforts. The UK welcomed Major General Michael Beary of Ireland as the successor of India’s Lt Gen Abhijit Guha to head UNMHA. Norway urged Yemen to operationalize its women, peace and security strategy and to include women in decision-making and leadership positions. The UAE condemned the Houthi act of piracy against the civilian cargo vessel Rwabee as a dangerous escalation in the Red Sea.
India called for unconditional support for the efforts of the Special Envoy, and said there should no obstacles to the movement of humanitarian aid or personnel to Yemen. The seizure of the UAE-flagged vessel with several Indian nationals in its crew had the potential to deeply compromise the maritime security in the region. India urged the Houthis to immediately release the crew members and the vessel. The Houthis also bear the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the crew members till their release. Condemning the continuing cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia, India opposed attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
After the meeting the UNSC issued a Press Statement condemning the Houthi seizure and detention of the UAE-flagged vessel the coast of Yemen on 2 January 2022.
Palestine: The UNSC Open Debate on the Question of Palestine was held on 19 January. Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, warned about the deterioration of the Occupied Palestinian Territory’s economic, security and political situations, aggravated by continued Israeli settlement expansion, evictions of Palestinians and home demolitions. He welcomed the on-going Palestine-Israel high-level engagement illustrated by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz, their second in four months. Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt who chaired the meeting said that the international community must cooperate with any Palestinian Government that rejects the use of violence. Norway welcomed the normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab States, and said it was essential that the Palestinians benefit from this process. Palestine’s Foreign Minister Riad al Malki underlined that the Middle East Quartet also had a responsibility in this regard, and supported the Russian Federation’s proposal for its early meeting at the ministerial level. Israel asked the Palestine Authority to raise its voice against violence targeting Israel. The United States called for a recommitment to a political solution to the conflict, and reiterated support for a two-State solution. Russia supported multilateral efforts towards an expeditious re-launch of direct negotiations between the parties with the help of the Middle East Quartet partners. It expressed concern over plans newly unveiled by Israel for new settlements in Syria’s Golan Heights. China shared concern over Israel’s recent announcement that it will invest more than $300 million in settlements in the Golan Heights, and at the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
India reiterated its support for a negotiated two-state solution leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, side by side at peace with Israel. Two urgent priorities on the ground were to reverse the negative trends as mentioned by the UN envoy and agreeing on a roadmap for resuming direct political negotiations. Turning to the wider region, India expressed its strong condemnation of the recent terror attack in Abu Dhabi, in which two Indians had tragically lost their lives.
African Issues
West Africa/Sahel: Khatir Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative and head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), briefed the UNSC on 10 January. He referred to the successful holding of elections in Cabo Verde and the Gambia as well as the recent coups d’état in West Africa. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) briefed the Council that piracy and armed robbery at sea, which accounted for the majority of kidnappings of seafarers for ransom around the world, were costing Gulf of Guinea states $1.94 billion annually, with an additional $1.4 billion being lost in port fees and import tariffs. Ghana (speaking for the African UNSC elected members Gabon and Kenya) stressed the importance of preventive diplomacy in the UNOWAS mandate to achieve better outcomes.
India pointed to the setback to the democratic process in Guinea and Mali, and the increasing security challenges in the Sahel region. The growth of terrorism in the region was a cause for serious concern. There was urgent need for financial resources and logistics support for the Joint Force of the G-5 in Sahel and the Multinational Joint Task Force. Several Indian sailors had been victims of piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea, which needed more surveillance to increase maritime security.
Mali: On 11 January, the UNSC was briefed by El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary‑General and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). He said sanctions imposed on Mali by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in December 2021 had been upheld and increased as ECOWAS did not accept the proposed timeline for presidential elections (end-2025). During 2021, MINUSMA faced the highest number of casualties since 2013 following a significant rise of asymmetric attacks targeting convoys, camps and temporary operating bases. The United States urged Mali to work with MINUSMA to improve the security environment and supported peacekeeper safety by providing necessary training and equipment through its Global Peace Operations Initiative. France regretted the transitional authorities’ use of public funds to pay foreign mercenaries, such as the Wagner Group, which it said violated international law. This was sharply rebutted by Russia. Mali clarified to the Council that there were no mercenaries on Malian soil and Russian trainers and instructors were in Mali to train Malian soldiers in the use of equipment acquired by Mali from the Russian Federation.
India said that Mali was facing multi-dimensional challenges rooted in long-standing imbalances in its administrative, constitutional and security set up that had not been addressed over decades. Expressing condolences to the bereaved families of the 7 peacekeepers from Togo who lost their lives in an attack on MINUSMA convoy in central Mali on 8 December 2021, India said peacekeeping and peacekeepers cannot function in isolation. India called for greater technological integration in MINUSMA to enhance the safety and security of peacekeepers as well as for effective mandate delivery. All stakeholders now had the responsibility to take the political process forward. Addressing the terrorism threat in Mali needed a strong regional security response, including greater UN financial support for the Joint Force of G5 Sahel.
Darfur/ICC: Karim A.A. Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), briefed the UNSC on 17 January on developments related to the situation in Darfur and Resolution 1593 (2005), the UNSC’s first-ever text referring a situation to the Court. The military takeover in Sudan on 25 October 2021 marked a major setback in the Court’s work. Russia said that the ICC was a body based on a treaty between itself and a limited number of States. The Charter of the United Nations did not endow the Court with the right to interpret the will of the UNSC, the consequences of which are far-reaching. Under the Resolution 1593 (2005), States that are not parties to the Rome Statute do not bear any responsibility under that treaty. The United States said it participated in assemblies of State Parties to the Rome Statute as an observer and stood ready to engage with the Court to bring accountability to the most serious crimes. China said the International Criminal Court should strictly abide by the principle of complementarity, respecting Sudan’s judicial sovereignty.
India said it was not a signatory to the Rome Statute. It emphasized that the Special Court for Darfur Crimes, agreed by the parties to the Juba Peace Agreement, had jurisdiction including on matters relating to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes since 2002.
Libya: The UNSC held consultations on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on 24 January. Briefing the Council, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said that shortcomings in the legal framework and contradictory court rulings on candidates were among the reasons triggering the postponement of the 24 December 2021 elections. Libya’s House of Representatives decided to draft a constitution within one month, with support from regional and international experts, to move the nation along the path towards stability through elections. The United States said UNSMIL should continue to provide support for the implementation of the Libyan Dialogue Forum Road Map and Libyan political candidates and parties must comply with its terms or face targeted action by the UNSC. Russia said the 5+5 Joint Military Commission agreement on a withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries was supported by Russia. The UAE called for ensuring implementation of the signed action plan on the withdrawal of forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries in a simultaneous, phased, gradual and balanced manner.
India regretted that the Presidential and Parliamentary elections could not be held as scheduled on 24 December 2021. The involvement of external forces in the internal affairs of Libya had negatively impacted the progress on the political track, and there had been resurgence in terrorist activity. Continued violations of arms embargo were equally alarming. India called on the UNSC to support holding of elections in a free, fair, inclusive and credible manner; safeguard the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Libya; ensure compliance with UNSC decisions on the full and complete withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries; focus on the growing linkages between terrorism in Africa and the Libyan situation; oversee an inclusive and comprehensive national reconciliation process to reintegrate armed non-state actors; and ensure a strong mandate for UNSMIL to play an effective role in Libya.
On 31 January the UNSC unanimously adopted resolution 2619 to roll-over for three months the mandate of its special political mission the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 30 April. The UK as penholder on Libya expressed regret that it failed to secure a substantive mandate renewal for UNSMIL.
Other Issues
Ukraine: Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefed the UNSC on 31 January on the recent military build-up along the borders with Ukraine, and called for de-escalation of tensions. The United States, which requested the meeting, argued that the Russian military build-up along Ukraine’s borders constituted a threat to international peace and security. Russia strongly opposed holding the meeting, saying that positioning troops within its territory was a domestic matter, not a threat to global stability. The Council then put the matter to a vote, in which 10 Council members supported the holding of the meeting. Russia and China opposed the proposal, while Gabon, India and Kenya abstained.
During the meeting, India said its interest was in finding a solution that could provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond. India had been in touch with all concerned parties and a diplomatic dialogue was the only way to resolve the issue. The reaffirmation of Minsk Agreements as the basis of work under the ongoing Normandy format with the full implementation of the “Minsk Package” had to be the framework.
Colombia: Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, informed the UNSC on 20 January that the March 2022 elections would include representatives from the 16 “special transitional electoral districts for peace”, which were established in 2021. These districts were created by the 2016 Agreement to promote participation of historically excluded populations in conflict-affected areas. The UNSC praised Colombia for charting a path towards a unified and prosperous future. In a Press Statement on 27 January the UNSC reiterated its full and unanimous support for the peace process in Colombia.
India acknowledged the strong role of the Government of Colombia in implementing the Peace Agreement and giving it an overall positive trajectory. There was need to overcome impediments in implementation, such as the disputes between illegal armed groups, including different FARC-EP dissident groups over territorial control and strategic illegal trafficking routes. These had a disruptive effect on reintegration initiatives.
Cyprus: The Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2618 on 27 January extending the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months until 31 July.
Thematic Issues
At the UNSC Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security on 18 January Michele Bachelet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that despite best efforts to ensure that peace is built by and for women, the prospects for their participation in the very negotiations intended to secure their future are “vastly worse” than before the pandemic. Between 1992 and 2019, only 13 per cent of negotiators, 6 per cent of mediators and 6 per cent of signatories in major peace processes were women. “Decisions on peace that do not reflect women’s voices, realities and rights are not sustainable,” she emphasized. In Afghanistan, the de facto Cabinet and other key forums at national and provincial levels excluded women, which heavily undermined their capacity to ensure a peaceful future. Many Afghan women human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and judges had been forced to flee or to go into hiding. She pressed member-states to use their influence with the Taliban to encourage respect for human rights, as well as to create safe pathways and resettlement programmes for Afghan women human rights defenders, and to immediately halt the deportation of Afghan women who sought protection. She also spoke of problems facing women’s participation in the Sahel and Myanmar. She proposed that peace operation mandates could explicitly include provisions for the protection of all civil society actors and United Nations interlocutors from threats and reprisals, as was the case for the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS).
The United States advocated technical support to amplify the voices of women leaders, and targeted assistance programmes that promote women’s community leadership, such as the “SHE Wins” initiative, which provides grants to support women — including those from minority groups — in their leadership endeavours. Russia praised the role of female peacekeepers in situations on the ground. More work was needed for women’s access to technology and resources, including the banking sector, and the crucial role of the family. China emphasized the need for the UNSC to support progress through dialogue, mediation and consultations, and pointed to the role of 1,000 Chinese women UN peacekeepers.
India firmly supported women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in political processes and decision-making to promote an inclusive society. India had moved from a paradigm of women’s development to women-led development. India’s experience involved a holistic approach to socio-economic empowerment of women, including their access to credit, finance and technology. India called on Member States to identify and address barriers to women’s meaningful participation in the prevention and resolution of conflict, and in post-conflict peace-building efforts and programs. India underlined the importance of inclusive and representative governance in Afghanistan, with the meaningful participation of women in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2593 adopted on 30 August 2021. India supported the deployment of more women UN peacekeepers and Gender Protection Advisers. The UN should provide support to Member States for institution and capacity building in post-conflict situations for sustaining peace-building.
At the UNSC Open Debate on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Wars in Cities - Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings” on 25 January, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said accountability for serious violations was essential at a time when 50 million people faced the dire consequences of urban warfare. He referred to targeted attacks on schools from Gaza and Afghanistan to widespread infrastructure damage in Yemen. He called on member-states to display political will to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store proposed seven actions, prioritizing effective protection of civilians and civilian objects as a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations in urban areas and compliance with international humanitarian law. The United States cited United Nations estimates that two thirds of the world will live in urban areas by 2050, stressing that “protecting civilians in urban settings will only become more important”. Russia said it was unacceptable to use unmanned aerial vehicles for military strikes based on unverified intelligence. The Geneva Convention of 1949 and international humanitarian law regulated the conduct of military operations in urban settings.
India said that apart from the responsibility of states within their own jurisdictions to protect civilians in armed conflict situations, there were a set of international principles and jurisprudence which placed responsibility on the aggressor to ensure that civilians and civilian infrastructure are not targeted in situations of armed conflicts. The terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008 which resulted in the killing of 166 innocent civilians of 15 nationalities illustrated the need to stand firm on opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and reject any attempt to provide any justifications for terrorist acts. India had extended assistance to countries like Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to rebuild urban infrastructure destroyed through such acts. Any universal normative architecture to protect civilians in armed conflicts should respect principles of sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and unity of countries affected by armed conflicts.
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