IBSA Summit
PM pushes for UN reforms

Brasilia, April 16
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday made a strong pitch for urgent reform of the United Nations and pushed for an early conclusion of an international convention to combat terrorism at the IBSA summit that comprises India, Brazil and South Africa.

“The systems of global governance have not kept pace with the changing realities of the world,” Manmohan Singh said at the fourth IBSA summit that was held at Itamaraty Palace in the Brazilian capital. “There is an urgent need for reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, by making it more democratic and representative,” Manmohan Singh told Brazilian President Lula da Silva and South African President Jacob Zuma.

Alluding to the commencement of text-based negotiations in the UN this month as a positive development, the Prime Minister stressed that the movement in the UN reforms process was possible due to the efforts of the G-4 countries -- India, Brazil, Japan and Germany -- and South Africa. Calling for global fight against the scourge of terrorism, Manmohan Singh said: “We should make all efforts for the early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN.”

Manmohan Singh also stressed on greater collaborative effort among top emerging economies to tackle global issues like climate change, international financial crisis and the Doha round of international trade negotiations.

“IBSA can contribute to the shaping of the global agenda and highlighting the concerns of developing countries," he said. “We are united in our objective to ensure a fair and equitable international order,” he stressed.

Underlining the developmental agenda that lies at the heart of IBSA, Manmohan Singh said they were united by the primacy they accord to such issues as food security, social inclusiveness and energy security. — IANS