New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level open debate on ‘Enhancing Maritime Security A Case for International Cooperation’ on today at 5:30 pm via video conferencing.
“This would be the first time that an Indian Prime Minister would be presiding over a meeting of the UN Security Council,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday. This will also be the first time that ‘maritime security’ will be discussed in a holistic manner as an exclusive agenda item in such a high-level open debate.
Tweeting about it on Sunday, the PM wrote, “At 5:30 PM tomorrow, 9th August, would be chairing the UNSC High-Level Open Debate on “Enhancing Maritime Security: A Case For International Cooperation”.
A statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said, “The meeting is expected to be attended by several heads of state & government of member states of the United Nations Security Council, and high-level briefers from the UN System and key regional organizations. The Open Debate will focus on ways to effectively counter maritime crime and insecurity and strengthened coordination in the maritime domain.”
Other leaders who are expected to participate in today’s event are Deputy Prime Minister of Niger Hassoumi Massoudou, President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh besides several other ministers representing their countries are expected.
The Council will be briefed by Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, the Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet; Ghada Fathi Waly, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi, in his capacity as chairperson of the African Union (AU).
The statements of the briefers and Council members will be broadcast live, while non-Council members can submit their statements in writing.
