NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu, on Thursday, reaffirmed India’s commitment to multilateralism and the principles enshrined in the United Nations charter.
Addressing the chiefs and vice-chiefs of the armies of different countries, who, along with their spouses, called on her while participating in the Army Chiefs’ Conclave for United Nations Troop Contributing Countries, President Murmu described them as proud representatives of the best values and ethos of their respective nations. “You all bring together a wealth of experience, expertise and resolve of your nations towards sustainable peace and prosperity,” she remarked.
Highlighting India’s role on the global stage, she stated, “As the largest democracy, India firmly believes in multilateralism and adherence to principles of the United Nations Charter. This special occasion brings together Peacekeepers of the United Nations. Your presence here reaffirms our shared commitment to world peace.”
She pointed out that United Nations Peacekeepers have been deployed in 71 different missions across the world. “And, of them, over 90 percent are uniformed personnel. These missions share the purpose of mitigating the suffering of innocent people, particularly women, children and elderly. The UN Peacekeepers deployed in remote and far-flung corners of the world have demonstrated exemplary courage and compassion,” she said.
Praising India’s contribution to global peace efforts, President Murmu said that India was proud to be a steadfast contributor to UN peacekeeping since its inception. “Our peacekeepers have served with distinction in some of the most challenging operations across the globe,” she said.
The president noted India’s progress in gender inclusion within the peacekeeping efforts. “Women peacekeepers have empowered local communities and fostered trust. Our combat engineers, medical teams and police have also done invaluable work of providing critical life sustaining services and other support facilities. … They have earned goodwill among the people they serve in strife-torn areas.”
Expressing optimism about the outcomes of the conclave, she said, “I am happy to know that discussions and deliberations during this event have brought out relevant and workable ideas. I am hopeful that the outcome of this conclave will help address the challenges faced by our peace-keepers.”
