"Christmas tree mandates must be avoided...must revert to having plain vanilla mandates": India calls for UNSC reforms

New York [US], November 15 (ANI): India's Ambassador to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, addressed the UNSC, advocating for reforms to make the Council more representative and effective. He emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, highlighting India's own contributions to UN peacekeeping.
Speaking at the UNSC Open Debate on Working Methods on Friday, Harish said, "Security Council is central in the UN architecture, as the principal organ that is primarily tasked with the responsibility of maintenance of international peace and security. As a UN organ whose sphere of functions covers a range of areas, but membership limited to only 15 members, working methods of the Security Council are critical to its credibility, efficacy, efficiency and transparency. This gains particular salience in a world beset with multiple crises and facing numerous challenges."
He highlighted that India seeks more transparent selection processes for subsidiary body chairs and pen-holderships. "Selection of Chairs of subsidiary bodies and pen-holderships needs to be carried out in a more transparent, objective and time bound manner. Chairs and pen-holderships are privileges that come with major responsibilities. Discussions in the Council on distribution of Chairs and pen-holderships must prevent Council members with vested interests from being accorded these privileges. Obvious and outright conflicts of interest can have no place in the Council."
This comes at a time when Pakistan holds the vice-chair of the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee alongside France and Russia. Pakistan, currently serving as a non-permanent member for the 2025-2026 term, was also appointed in July as the Chair of the Taliban Sanctions Committee.
India advocated for plain vanilla mandates, increased resources, and TCC/PCC input, with expansion of peacekeeping mandates matched by a proportionate increase in resources.
"Peacekeeping is an important United Nations Security Council domain. As the largest cumulative troop contributor, India stresses on the need for factoring in the inputs of the TCCs and PCCs for better implementation of peacekeeping mandates. This must be a consultative exercise. Christmas tree mandates must be avoided, and peacekeeping missions must revert to having plain vanilla mandates," added Harish.
The Indian envoy highlighted that the Council's outdated structure and procedures are starkly apparent. India is ready to contribute to reforms, but emphasised that piecemeal changes won't suffice. The Council must adapt to current geopolitical realities, ensuring representation for underrepresented regions.
"I urge the Council to undertake necessary measures on this front to bring about sunset clauses. Matters on which the Council is seized are also to be reviewed from time to time on the basis of their relevance and utility," said the Indian envoy.
"There must be greater transparency in the functioning of the subsidiary organs. A case in point is the manner in which listing requests are rejected. Unlike de-listing decisions, these are done in a rather obscure manner, with member states that are not on the Council not being privy to details. There must be greater coordination of the Council with other UN organs, particularly UNGA. A useful tool in this regard is the discussion of the annual United Nations Security Council report in GA. However, this must not be treated as a mere procedural exercise. The report must be more than a record of the Council proceedings and meetings during the year. India reiterates its call to make the annual United Nations Security Council report analytical in nature," he added.
Harish supported Africa's inclusion in the permanent category, promoting equitable representation, echoing the aspirations of many UN member states, seeking a more inclusive and effective Security Council.
"India would like to emphasize that addressing historical injustices to Africa in the Security Council, given the representation of three out of the ten non-permanent members from the region, is primarily through Africa's inclusion in the permanent category. Mere expansion of the non-permanent category would not only not result in meaningful reform but also fail to address historical injustices to Africa," he added.

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PR @AmbHarishP delivered 🇮🇳’s statement at the Open Debate on Working Methods at the @UN Security Council.

Link to the statement - https://t.co/imOge4hD93

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He concluded that India is ready to support efforts to modernise, enhance, and make the Council more effective and reflective of current global realities. (ANI)