IBSA note with concern escalation of geopolitical tensions, and emphasises need for dialogue and diplomacy for peaceful resolution of conflicts

Jaishankar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Mauro Vieira and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Grace Naledi Pandor met for the 11th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Friday here on the margins of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.A joint communique of the meeting said that the ministers noted with concern the escalation of geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world and emphasised the need for dialogue and diplomacy for peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The IBSA countries of India, Brazil and South Africa noted with concern the escalation of geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world and emphasised the need for dialogue and diplomacy for peaceful resolution of conflicts.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil Mauro Vieira and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Grace Naledi Pandor met for the 11th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Friday here on the margins of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

A joint communique of the meeting said that the ministers "noted with concern the escalation of geopolitical tensions in various parts of the world and emphasised the need for dialogue and diplomacy for peaceful resolution of conflicts. They called for strengthening of global arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, including efforts within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament." The ministers condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and concurred that terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated in every part of the world.

Reaffirming their solidarity and resolve in the fight against terrorism, the Ministers called upon the international community to establish a genuinely broad international counter-terrorism framework in accordance with the principles of international law and support the United Nations' central coordinating role in international counter-terrorism cooperation.

"They recalled the responsibility of all States to prevent and counter-terrorism, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, the financing of terrorist networks and terrorist actions from their territories," the communique said.

The ministers looked forward to further deepening counter-terrorism cooperation and reaffirmed the sole authority of the UN Security Council for imposing sanctions. They called for "urgent reform of the working methods of UN Security Council Sanctions Committees to ensure their effectiveness, responsiveness and transparency while avoiding politicisation and double standards of any of their proceedings including listing proposals objectively on evidence-based criteria." The ministers emphasised that while a comprehensive reform of the United Nations system remains a crucial international undertaking, the advancing of the reform of the Security Council should remain an urgent and top priority.

They expressed "frustration" with the paralysis observed at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on UN Security Council reform which lacks transparency in its working methods and has not produced tangible progress in the United Nations General Assembly.

"They stressed that the time has come to move towards a result-oriented process and urged the redoubling of efforts to achieve concrete outcomes within a fixed time frame on this issue through the commencement of text-based negotiations, based on a single comprehensive text, in a formal setting, during the 78th UNGA, with a view to an early comprehensive reform of the Security Council." The IBSA countries renewed their commitment to work for the expansion of Security Council membership to include representation from developing economies of Africa, Asia and Latin America, in both the permanent and non-permanent membership categories for achieving a reformed, representative, equitable, responsive and effective UN Security Council which is reflective of the contemporary global realities.

The ministers agreed to hold a Standalone Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brazil, in the first quarter of 2024 and tasked the Sherpas to elaborate a proposal on IBSA institutional development.

They reinforced the need for a reformed and more representative governance structure in international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, with increased participation from developing countries. They "urged these institutions to simplify procedures, reduce loan conditionalities and promote greater space for domestic development policies." The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and its Paris Agreement. They urged all countries to work together for the implementation of the Paris Agreement based on the principles of the UNFCCC, especially the principles of ''equity" and ''common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities".

The ministers urged developed countries to provide sustained, predictable and adequate financing, technology transfer and capacity-building support to developing countries to cope with climate change and its impacts, in line with their obligations.

They recognised that peaking of Greenhouse Gas Emissions will take longer for developing countries; the need to achieve rapid reductions in emissions thereafter on the basis of equity and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.

The ministers regretted that the goal of USD 100 billion per year promised by the developed countries by 2020 has not been met and called for its fulfilment by COP28, scheduled from November 30 to December 12, 2023, in Dubai.

They expressed their willingness to engage in a fruitful first Global Stock Take (GST) of the Paris Agreement, at COP 28, which will guide countries in presenting their second round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), in 2025.

The group commended the successful hosting of the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi under the Indian G20 Presidency and expressed their full support to the upcoming Brazilian G20 Presidency.

Starting on December 1, 2023, the three IBSA countries will comprise the G20 troika. India, the current president of the G20, will hand over the baton to Brazil which will preside over the grouping of the largest economies of the world in 2024 followed by South Africa in 2025.

The fact that the three countries will make up the G20 ''troika" in 2024, provides further opportunities for concerted actions and cooperation in several areas, the communique said.

"The sequence of four developing countries in the presidency of the group constitutes a valuable opportunity to further integrate a developmental perspective in the G20 agenda."

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