Minister Jaishankar also questioned the role played by the United Nations during 21st Century’s most significant medical emergency, COVID-19.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a critical view of the United Nations on Sunday, stating that the organization is “like an old company” which is occupying the space but not entirely keeping up with the market.
Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave in Delhi, Minister Jaishankar highlighted the declining relevance of the United Nations when there are serious global issues ongoing like the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflict. “And where is the UN on them, essentially a bystander,” the minister said.
Jaishankar stated, “The United Nations is like an old company, not entirely keeping up with the market, but occupying the space.”
He was taking part in the interactive session on ‘India and the Globe’ and spoke about India’s role in the dynamic global world order.
Detailing about the United Nations significance, he said, “What you have today is, yes, there is a UN. At the end of the day, however suboptimal it is in functioning, it is still the only multilateral game in town. But when it doesn’t step up on key issues, countries figure out their own ways of doing it.”
Minister Jaishankar also questioned the role played by the United Nations during 21st Century’s most significant medical emergency, COVID-19 and said, “Think about what the UN did on Covid. I think the answer is not very much.”
Jaishankar was asked about his upcoming visit to Pakistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and he said that he isn’t going to have any bilateral meetings with his Pakistani counterpart during the visit.
“I am going there for a certain job, a certain responsibility. And, I take my responsibilities seriously. So, I am going there to represent India at the SCO meeting, and that is what I am going to do,” Jaishankar said.
