UN's Shombi Sharp calls Raisina Dialogue "great success", says it 'reflects India's critical leadership role'

New Delhi [India], February 23 : Calling Raisina Dialogue "important event" on the global calendar, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp said that it has been a "real pleasure" and honour" to attend the event. He stated that ninth edition of Raisina Dialogue has been a "great success" and demonstrates India's critical leadership role across all of the transitions.
In an interview with ANI, he highlighted the importance of Raisina Dialogue and spoke about his participation in a panel with Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani.
Speaking on his participation in Raisina Dialogue, he said, "On behalf of the UN in India, it's been a real pleasure and honour to participate in this year's Raisina Dialogue, always an important event on the global calendar. Chaturanga, the title reflecting how our world is in crisis and chaos, and at the same time there are opportunities for coming together and finding mutual solutions."
"And I think India is playing an incredibly important role. In this regard, we've seen India's growing leadership, for example, presidency of the G20, really putting the sustainable development goals, putting multilateralism at the center stage, human focused foreign policy as well. I just participated it on a panel with Minister Smriti Irani," he added.
Highlighting the importance of gender equality, he said, "Looking at the importance of gender equality and really bringing, ensuring more women's leadership access to help get us to the 2030 agenda and beyond. So, I think this edition of Raisina Dialogue has been a great success, as always, and really reflects India's critical key leadership role across all of the transitions, energy transitions, peace and security, sustainable development, you name it. So it's wonderful to be here."
He said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks about the importance of reform in the UN Security Council. However, he added that it is for the member states to determine. He also stated that India has a strong resume to become a member of UNSC.
In an interview with ANI, he said that United Nations has no role to play in terms of making the decision regarding the reform of the UNSC. He stressed that UN looks forward to member states to make those decision on reform.
On being asked about reform of UNSC, Shombi Sharp said, "Certainly, that's been an issue that's been talked about a lot here in these few days. The United Nations, I mean myself as an official of the UN and the United nations institution itself, we don't have a role to play in terms of making those decisions. That's for the member states to agree. But certainly the UN secretary general absolutely speaks about the importance of reform in the UN Security Council."
"The institution has to be fit for purpose and has to reflect that the world we live in today, not the one of the post second world war. So there's nobody more in favor of reform than the secretary general and the UN institution itself. But that's for member states to determine. But I think nobody could argue that there's any country with probably a stronger resume to become a member than India. But we look forward to the member states to make those decisions on reform," he added.
Calling India a "bridge builder," he said that New Delhi has a "relationship capital" in every direction - east, west, north and south. He stated that India under its G20 Presidency was able to deliver a unanimously agreed New Delhi declaration due to its ties with nations.
Asked on India's role amid the ongoing conflicts in the world, he responded, "India, generally speaking, is playing a very important role in terms of as a bridge builder. And India has a lot of relationship capital in every direction, east, west, north, south. That's why I think the G20 presidency of India was able to deliver a unanimously agreed New Delhi declaration. So, I think not speaking specifically about any one conflict, but, generally speaking, India is playing an important role in helping build a path towards a prosperous and peaceful future."
He said that there have been a lot of discussions around the conflict and the impact that these are having on global stage. He said that UN continues to work on finding a way towards ceasefire and called it a top priority. He also spoke about the importance of re-establishing Black Sea Grain initiative.
On the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, Sharp said, "Certainly there have been a lot of discussions around those issues and the impact that those are having, those conflicts are having, obviously, the conflicts themselves, the loss of life, targeting of civilians, but also the impact on the global stage that is negatively impacting poor countries the most, increasing the price, the cost of debt, increasing the price of basic commodities of life, food, fuel, fertilizers.
"So ,the UN continues to work on trying to, of course, find a way towards ceasefire. First of all, that's the top priority, but at the same time to find solutions, for example, is the Black Sea grain initiative, which we're trying to reestablish as well. So, the need for multilateralism, for countries coming together in this time of Crisos, this time of Chaturanga, is more than ever," he added.
Notably, the Raisina Dialogue is India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was the chief guest and keynote speaker at the ongoing 9th Raisina Dialogue. He inaugurated the dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 21.