Evaluate India’s participation in the G20, taking into account its top concerns, which include the digital economy, climate change, and the restructuring of the global financial system. Talk about the potential and difficulties India faces in using this platform to ...
Answer: United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between its Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support. Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council and forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis. Peacekeeping is one of the moRead more
Answer: United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between its Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support. Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council and forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis. Peacekeeping is one of the most effective tools in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security owing to its unique strengths such as legitimacy, burden sharing, deployment of troops around the world and integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to enforce various multidimensional mandates. However, the physical and political fragility of conflict situations limit the likelihood of success. Peacekeeping faces several challenges that undermine its ability to deliver on its mandates:
- Change in nature of armed conflicts: The nature of conflicts has changed over the years, and peacekeeping, which originally emerged to deal with interstate conflicts, began to be applied to intrastate conflicts including civil wars, organized crime and new generation of weapons.
- Peacekeepers have become targets: Peacekeepers often go where no one else is prepared to go. However, incidents of attack on peacekeepers have become common.
- Elusive political solutions: With the closure of UNOCI and UNMIL, several missions are deployed in the face of weak political agreement, diminished consent and stalled peace processes with vague exit strategies.
- Broad and complex mandates: Peacekeeping missions have been given staggering tasks and wide-ranging responsibilities. At the same time, regional partnerships, though critical, are often unable to deliver the necessary political impact.
- Performance issues: There are challenges related to maintenance of well structured, equipped and trained forces, participation of women in peacekeeping, accountability for perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse and other forms of misconduct.
- Lack of stronger commitment: All the actors in support of peacekeeping efforts, from political to operational spheres, lack stronger commitment which is needed to achieve peacekeeping excellence.
The accomplishments from past missions have raised the expectations from UN peacekeeping beyond its capacity to deliver. To respond to these challenges, following reforms are needed:
- Institutionalization: Time has come to move from pursuit of activism of individual member states to collective action by the Council. There is a need for greater and effective cooperation between Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs), the Security Council and the Secretariat.
- Incentivization: As of July, 2019, women peacekeepers constituted 6 per cent. There is a need to provide special incentives for women peacekeepers and priority deployment of all women- unit pledges.
- Innovation: Innovation in capacity building of peacekeepers needs to be a priority. This can be done through innovative options such as co-deployment of peacekeepers, enhancing capabilities and capacities through Mobile Training Teams and expansion of online initiatives to develop capacities of future commanders and managers.
- Future proofing: There is further need of better training of peacekeepers and involvement of experts from various fields in peacekeeping in order to better deal with emerging challenges.
Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. In this regard, the Secretary-General has launched Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) to renew mutual political commitment to peacekeeping operations and called on Member States to join in developing a set of mutually-agreed principles and commitments to create peacekeeping operations fit for the future.
See less
India's engagement with the Group of Twenty (G20) plays a significant role in shaping its global interests and influencing key policy areas. As the world's premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 provides India with a platform to address critical issues such as climate change,Read more
India’s engagement with the Group of Twenty (G20) plays a significant role in shaping its global interests and influencing key policy areas. As the world’s premier forum for international economic cooperation, the G20 provides India with a platform to address critical issues such as climate change, the digital economy, and the reform of the international financial architecture. This article assesses India’s engagement with the G20, discusses its priorities, identifies challenges, and explores opportunities for India to promote its global interests.
India’s Priorities within the G20:
Climate Change: India emphasizes sustainable development and climate action within the G20. Given its vulnerability to climate change, India advocates for equitable burden-sharing, technology transfer, and financial assistance to implement climate mitigation and adaptation measures. It seeks to ensure that global climate initiatives consider the development needs of emerging economies.
Digital Economy: India recognizes the importance of digitalization and the digital economy in driving inclusive growth. It prioritizes digital infrastructure development, internet governance, data security, and bridging the digital divide. India seeks to leverage the G20 platform to promote digital inclusion, innovation, and cooperation while safeguarding its national interests.
Reform of International Financial Architecture: India advocates for reforming the international financial architecture to reflect the evolving global economic landscape. It emphasizes the need for fair and representative governance structures within international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. India seeks to ensure that emerging economies have a greater say in decision-making processes.
Challenges for India:
Divergent Priorities: G20 member countries have diverse interests and policy positions, making consensus-building challenging. India must navigate differing perspectives on issues such as climate change, digital governance, and financial reforms to promote its priorities effectively.
Power Dynamics: The G20 includes both developed and emerging economies, and power dynamics can influence decision-making. India must engage proactively and strategically to ensure its concerns and interests are adequately represented and considered in the G20’s agenda.
Resource Constraints: Implementing global commitments and initiatives requires financial resources and technical capabilities. India faces challenges in mobilizing adequate resources to fulfill its commitments, limiting its capacity to fully influence the G20’s outcomes.
Opportunities for India:
Global Leadership: As one of the fastest-growing major economies, India has the opportunity to showcase its leadership and contribute to shaping global policy debates within the G20. It can leverage its economic and demographic strengths to drive inclusive growth, sustainable development, and innovation.
See lessCoalitions and Partnerships: India can forge alliances and partnerships with like-minded countries to amplify its voice and promote its priorities effectively. Building coalitions on issues such as climate change, digital governance, and financial reforms can enhance India’s influence within the G20 and beyond.
Knowledge and Expertise Exchange: The G20 provides a platform for India to engage with other member countries and exchange knowledge and best practices. India can learn from the experiences of other nations and showcase its expertise in areas such as renewable energy, information technology, and financial inclusion.
Conclusion:
India’s engagement with the G20 offers a significant opportunity to promote its global interests and advance its priorities in critical areas such as climate change, the digital economy, and international financial architecture. While challenges such as divergent priorities, power dynamics, and resource constraints exist, India can leverage its global leadership, forge partnerships, and engage in knowledge exchange to maximize its impact within the G20. By effectively navigating these challenges and seizing opportunities, India can contribute to shaping global policies, fostering sustainable development, and advancing its strategic objectives on the international stage.