Post date: Feb 12, 2011 12:41:41 AM
The U.N. Security Council holds a high level meeting on global peace and security, with members addressing various aspects of the issue including Sudan, Africa and reform.
UNITED NATIONS (FEBRUARY 11, 2011) UNTV - Members of the U.N. Security Council gathered for a high level meeting on international peace and security on Friday (February 11). The meeting was hosted by Brazil, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council.
Members -- both permanent and non-permanent -- debated various aspects of global peace. The interdependence between security and development was addressed by most speakers.U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was in attendance.
"I have also requested all U.N. presences in places where there is both a U.N. country team and the multi dimensional peacekeeping operation or political mission to identify priority areas for peace, consolidation and develop integrated strategic frameworks to guide their work in these areas. It is increasingly recognized that these strategic frameworks must be developed with the host country to account for national priorities and to enable ownership of the development process," Ban told the Council.
The German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle addressed the recent South Sudan independence referendum in which nearly 99 percent of the South Sudanese voted to separate from North Sudan.
"Now we need to prepare for the post referendum process and the preparation of Southern Sudan's independence. Germany stands ready to assist and to counsel both sides - North and South," said Westerwelle.
India, which took a non-permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council for two years starting this January, was represented on the high table for the first time by its external affairs minister, SM Krishna. He called for reforming the international structure for peace-building. He also addressed India's recent non-permanent U.N. Security Council membership.
"Global power and the capacities to address problems are much more dispersed than they were six decades ago. The current framework must address these realities. We understand the expectations that accompany our Council membership. We are actually conscious of the need for effective coordination between the P-5 and the elected members, especially those whose credentials for permanent membership stand acknowledged," said Krishna.
India, Brazil, Germany and South Africa are among the countries aspiring for a permanent seat on the Security Council.
And China, which holds a permanent seat on the Security Council, called for increased international support for Africa's development. China has also significantly increased business investments on the African continent in recent years.