The Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, H.E. Mr SM Krishna, the Minister of External Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, and the representative of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, H.E. Ambassador Baso Sangqu, met in New York on 11 February 2011 to exchange views on the prospects for cooperation on issues currently on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.
India and South Africa expressed their deep satisfaction with the debate promoted by Brazil, as President of the Security Council for the month of February, on the interdependence between development and security and its importance for sustainable peace.
They, also, expressed great satisfaction with the concurrent presence of all three IBSA countries in the Security Council during the year 2011. They reiterated the commitment of their countries to consult each other and coordinate positions on all topics relevant to the international agenda. They expressed their willingness, as developing countries, to work closely together in order to bring their perspectives into the work of the Council.
They reaffirmed the key role of development strategies for the achievement of sustainable peace and security in countries in post-conflict situations, as well as in countries at risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict. In this context, they recalled the importance of South-South Cooperation, in particular projects carried out through the IBSA Fund, in Haiti, Palestine, Guinea-Bissau, Burundi and Sierra Leone, among other countries.
They welcomed the announcement of the results of the referendum in the Sudan on 7 February 2011. Aware of the immense challenges that will be facing the peoples of the Sudan, IBSA wishes to announce their decision to support, through the IBSA Fund, the reconstruction and development of the Sudan, both North and South. IBSA will consult with the relevant national authorities in identifying sustainable priority projects in this regard.
They reiterated their view that peacekeeping operations have a contribution to make in early peacebuilding activitiesand in providing an environment conducive to the implementation of development strategies, as a means to bring immediate peace dividends to afflicted areas and to contribute to a cooperative atmosphere for UN missions.
They also noted that when considering the deployment of a mission or in evaluating and renewing the mandate of current missions, the Security Council should work in close cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), with a view to developing a stronger synergy between the two organs.
The three IBSA representatives emphasised the need for urgent reform of the Security Council, including an expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of its membership, with increased participation of developing countries in both. Such reform is of the utmost importance for the Security Council to reflect geopolitical realities and to enhance its representativeness, effectiveness and legitimacy that are needed to face contemporary challenges. They committed themselves to maintain close coordination amongst the three countries and the broader UN membership to achieve substantial progress in the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform presently underway in New York.
At the end of the meeting, India, Brazil and South Africa expressed their commitment to increase IBSA consultations and coordination, both in New York and in capitals, on issues on the agenda of the Security Council. They also agreed to resume discussions and coordination on Security Council issues during the VII Ministerial IBSA Joint Commission, scheduled to take place in New Delhi, 7 to 8 March 2011.
