Col. Ashish Bhalla Highlights India’s Role in Peacebuilding at UN General Assembly
New York [US], July 17: India has always played a key role in both peacekeeping and peacebuilding, said Colonel Ashish Bhalla, Military Advisor, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He emphasized India’s extensive development partnerships with countries in the Global South.
Key Points from Col. Bhalla’s Statement
Delivering India’s statement at the Joint Debate on the ‘Report of the Peacebuilding Commission’, Col. Bhalla highlighted the importance of education in peacebuilding. He noted that India’s developmental projects exceed USD 40 billion, including soft loans, grants, and training programs.
Col. Bhalla praised the Peacebuilding Commission’s (PBC) 2023 report, calling it a testimony to positive initiatives. He stressed the importance of regional maritime security, combating transnational organized crime, and terrorism in peacebuilding efforts.
He appreciated the PBC’s support for regional peace initiatives like the Luanda and Nairobi processes and its focus on women’s participation in decision-making and security sector reforms.
India’s Commitment to Peacebuilding
Col. Bhalla highlighted the India UN Development Partnership Fund, established in 2017, which has supported 75 development projects in 56 countries. He noted that the PBC has no direct conflict prevention mandate but plays a critical role in preventing conflict relapse and marshalling resources for post-conflict recovery.
He concluded by assuring India’s sustained commitment to peacebuilding and its constructive engagement in the forthcoming peacebuilding architecture review.
Doubts Revealed
Col. Ashish Bhalla -: Col. Ashish Bhalla is a Colonel in the Indian Army and serves as a Military Advisor. He represents India in international forums like the United Nations.
UN General Assembly -: The UN General Assembly is a big meeting where all the countries in the United Nations come together to discuss important global issues.
peacekeeping -: Peacekeeping involves sending soldiers and police from different countries to help maintain peace in areas affected by conflict.
peacebuilding -: Peacebuilding means creating conditions that help prevent conflicts and ensure lasting peace, like building schools and hospitals.
Global South -: The Global South refers to countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania that are generally less economically developed.
USD 40 billion -: USD 40 billion means 40 billion US dollars, which is a huge amount of money used for development projects.
Peacebuilding Commission -: The Peacebuilding Commission is a group within the United Nations that helps countries recover from conflicts and build lasting peace.
India UN Development Partnership Fund -: The India UN Development Partnership Fund is a fund set up by India to help other countries with development projects, like building schools and hospitals.
