India assures commitment to UN's Post-2015 development agenda

UNITED NATIONS: Declaring that 2015 can be a year of "global action," India has assured its commitment to the UN for achieving a meaningful Post-2015 development agenda and an ambitious climate change outcome in Paris this year.

India's Acting Permanent Representative Ambassador Bhagwant Bishnoi said India recognised the potential for member states to work together for global action for the achievement of common objectives in different priority areas.

"The year can then be a year for Global Action as the (UN) Secretary General has called for," Bishnoi said participating in an informal meeting of the plenary for a briefing by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on his priorities for 2015.

Bishnoi assured the Secretary General of India's active and constructive engagement in realisation of the key objectives for the year.

He said the Indian delegation attaches "very high importance" to the Post-2015 development agenda, which the UN Chief has listed as among his priorities for 2015.

The development agenda should be one that can propel sustained and inclusive economic growth in all countries, particularly developing countries, he said.

"We stand ready to working with other delegations to put together an ambitious and meaningful agenda," Bishnoi said.

Briefing the 193-member United Nations General Assembly last week on his priorities for 2015, Ban had said the year 2015 must be the "time for global action" as he called on the international community to join forces to combat terrorism, prepare for possible new health epidemics and work on transformative global action to ensure sustainable development for all.

On climate change, Bishnoi said India was fully committed to contributing to the global fight against climate change.

"We are engaged constructively in the UNFCCC process and are hopeful that it should be possible to achieve an ambitious outcome in Paris later this year," he added.

Bishnoi said peacekeeping has proved to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.

A leading troop contributor, India looks forward to cooperating with the Independent Panel on Peace Operations, appointed last year to assess the current and future needs of the organisation's peacekeeping architecture as well as focus on examining both peacekeeping operations and special political missions.

The 2015 also marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations and it would be appropriate that many of the priorities of the Secretary General would come to fruition during the course of the year, Bishnoi said.