Hailing India for its tremendous contribution towards neighboring countries during Covid-19, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that Delhi has strengthened its impact on the international stage owing to its donation of medicines, equipment, and vaccines to adjoining countries at height of the virus spread.
UN Chief, who arrived in Mumbai today, said in an address to the students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), “From your donations of medicines, equipment and vaccines at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, to your humanitarian assistance and development finance to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, you’re increasing impact on the international stage. India is today a partner of choice of the UN.”
In addition, he also praised India’s digital platform Cowin and called it the largest vaccination program for Covid-19 which is delivering more than 2 billion doses. He also noted that India was the first country to launch a single-country south-south cooperation support framework via the India-UN development framework partnership.
Guterres also addressed India’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping saying that the country is the biggest provider of military and police personnel to UN missions, including the first all-women UN police contingent to a peacekeeping mission.
“Over 200,000 Indian men and women have served in 49 peacekeeping missions since 1948, a remarkable contribution to peace in the world. ” He was quoted saying by ANI.
Among other things, the UN chief paid tribute to the victims of the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai while stressing that fighting terrorism must be a global priority for every country on earth and fighting terrorism is a central priority for the UN
“I feel deeply moved to be here where one of the most barbaric terrorist acts in history took place where 166 people lost their lives. I want to pay tribute to the victims they are heroes of all world and I want to express my deepest condolences to their families, to their friends, to the people of India, and to all those that are coming from other parts of the world that have lost their lives in Mumbai.” ANI quoted the chief as saying.
The UN chief who is currently visiting Mumbai is set to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi next at the launch of the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) booklet, logo, and tagline in Kevadiya.
While in Kevadiya, Guterres is expected to pay floral tributes at the Statue of Unity. He will also be visiting India’s first solar-powered village in Modhera (Gujarat) and other development projects in the area.
(With inputs from ANI)
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