India to assume UNSC Presidency tomorrow

UNITED NATIONS: India will assume the month-long rotating presidency of the UN Security Council beginning tomorrow before its term as non-permanent member of the powerful 15-nation body ends this year.

India had last served as president of the UNSC in August 2011. Its two year term on the Council will end on December 31.

Piracy is among the key issues that India could focus on during its presidency in November.

India, seeking permanent membership of the Council, has also been stressing on reform and expansion of the UN body and it could focus on the issue during its presidency.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee, which India chairs, intends to organise a Special Meeting focussing on "preventing and suppressing terrorist financing" in November.

Last year, the committee had adopted an outcome document that had raised the benchmark in the fight against terrorism to a higher level and approved a zero-tolerance approach.