Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the United Nations needs reform, and regretted that some countries have used the organisation as a “tool” rather than as an institution to resolve conflicts, PTI reported. Modi made the remark during a discussion with Bridgewater Associates Founder, Co-Chairperson and Co-Chief Investment Officer Ray Dalio in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“A body like the UN should not merely be an institution but also an instrument for positive change,” Modi said. “We have to think whether the UN has risen to the occasion when it comes to conflict resolution. I had raised this issue when the UN turned 70 but much discussion could not happen. I hope this topic is discussed more actively when the UN turns 75.” The United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945.
Modi said the United Nations should not restrict itself to providing assistance in the event of calamities and natural disasters, but should embrace reform according to the realities of the 21st century.
“Some used the UN as a tool and not as an institution,” he said. “While some do not abide by the law, some are trapped under the burden of law. The world has to abide by law. Earlier expansionist tendencies determined strength. Today development oriented polity, the quest for innovation is determining what strength is.” The prime minister said that land, air, water and space have all turned into battlefields today, signifying that the world is changing fast.
“The times of a bipolar world have gone,” Modi said, referring to the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union that ended in 1989. “We live in a time where every nation is connected and dependent on each other. The need of the hour is to strengthen a multi-polar order. Each and every nation is important today.”
The prime minister also delivered a keynote address at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh. He said that India has set a target of becoming a $5 trillion economy within the next five years, the Hindustan Times reported.
“The purpose of this forum is not just to discuss the economy here but also to understand the emerging trends in the world and find ways for world welfare in it,” he added. Modi said that the impact of technology, the importance of infrastructure, human resources, care for the environment and business-friendly governance would be the keys to future global prosperity.
Modi also invited global investors to be part of India’s “growth story”.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. The two condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and agreed to improve bilateral security cooperation. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in agriculture, oil and gas, maritime security, innovative technology, renewable energy, trade and investment between the two countries.
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