India puts candidacy for 2021-2022 UNSC non-permanent seat

UNITED NATIONS: Less than a year after its term at the UN Security Council ended, India has again put in its candidature for a non-permanent member seat at the UN high table for 2021-2022 after Afghanistan withdrew in its favour.

"We have now put in our candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the years 2021-2022. The elections will be held in October 2020," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke Kumar Mukerji told PTI here.

India had last been a non-permanent member of the powerful 15-nation Council for the 2011-2012 term.

In letters dated November 21, India and Afghanistan have conveyed their decision to all Permanent Missions of member states to the UN.

"...India has decided to present its candidature for the non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council for the term 2021-2022 for which elections would be held during the 75th UN General Assembly in 2020. The Permanent Mission of India seeks the valuable support of esteemed Member States for India's candidature to the UN Security Council," the letter from the Indian mission here said.

Afghanistan was looking at a non-permanent member slot in 2021-22 but after "bilateral" discussions with India and "their own internal process", Kabul in a rare gesture decided to withdraw its candidacy, Mukerji said.

In the letter to the UN, the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan said, "The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has decided to withdraw its candidacy for the non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council for the period 2021-2022 in favour of the candidacy of the Republic of India for the same period.

"This decision is taken on the basis of the long-standing, close and friendly relations between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of India."

The decision has been conveyed to the Asia-Pacific group since India will be a candidate from the group, which has 54 countries.