India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday expressed uncertainty over the conflict in West Asia and called for more resilient trade corridors and supply chains.
Speaking at the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France, he also stressed the urgency of reforming the UN Security Council, streamlining peacekeeping operations and strengthening humanitarian supply chains.
During the summit, the minister pushed for a comprehensive overhaul of international institutions so that they better reflect modern reality.
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Jaishankar emphasized “the need for reforms in global governance, including urgent changes in the UN Security Council, streamlining peacekeeping operations and strengthening humanitarian supply chains”, while promoting the Global South’s concerns about food and energy security.
In a separate meeting to deal with the economic impact of the crisis in West Asia, the minister warned of lingering “uncertainties” threatening global trade.
He called for the creation of “more resilient trade corridors and supply chains” to mitigate the impact of the ongoing conflict on international markets.
Concerns of the Global South
“Shared views on IMEC at the second @G7 Meeting of Foreign Ministers with Invited Partners. Uncertainties arising from conflicts in West Asia only strengthen more resilient trade corridors and supply chains. At the same time, India’s free trade agreements with the European Union, EFTA members and the UK have increased the usefulness of IMEC,” he said.
“He spoke at the @G7 meeting of foreign ministers with invited partners about reforming global governance. He emphasized the urgency of reforming the UN Security Council, streamlining peacekeeping operations and strengthening humanitarian supply chains. Specifically, he raised the concerns of the Global South regarding energy issues, fertilizer supplies and food security,” the minister said in another post on X.
Meeting of G7 foreign ministers
Jaishankar, who is currently in France for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting on March 26-27, where he engaged in a series of bilateral talks with counterparts from France, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany and Ukraine.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the External Affairs Minister met his counterparts from France, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany and Ukraine on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
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“Our talks with global partners are continuing. The External Affairs Minister is currently in France for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting on March 26-27. He met his counterparts from France, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, UK, Germany and Ukraine on the sidelines,” Jaiswal said.
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“Discussions covered bilateral relations and developments in West Asia. In the first session, he spoke about reforming global governance, emphasizing the urgency of reforming the UN Security Council, streamlining peace operations and strengthening humanitarian supply chains. He also drew attention to the concerns of the Global South regarding energy, fertilizers and food security. In the second session, he explained the uncertainties and supply chain resulting from the trade corridor in Asia,” he added.
Key things
- Urgent reforms of global governance and the UN Security Council are necessary to address the current challenges.
- The impact of conflicts in West Asia on global trade highlights the need for resilient trade corridors.
- The global South’s concerns about energy, fertilizers and food security must be prioritized in international discussions.
