The Minister of External Affairs of India, S Jaishankar, made a strong statement on terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa. Jaishankar highlighted that combating terrorism is one of the original mandates of the SCO, and the channel of finances for terrorist activities “must be seized and blocked without distinction.” He also emphasized that there can be no justification for terrorism, and it must be stopped in all its forms and manifestations. Jaishankar discussed the challenges faced by the world due to the Covid pandemic and geopolitical upheavals, leading to disrupted global supply chains and impacting developing nations. The unfolding situation in Afghanistan also remained at the center of their attention, and their efforts should be directed towards providing humanitarian assistance, combatting terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities.
“These crises have also exposed a credibility and trust deficit in the ability of global institutions to manage challenges in a timely and efficient manner. These challenges, however, are also an opportunity for the SCO to collaborate and address them collectively. With more than 40 per cent of the world’s population within the SCO, our collective decisions will surely have a global impact,” he said.
Jaishankar also pointed out that the current crises have exposed a credibility and trust deficit in the ability of global institutions to manage challenges in a timely and efficient manner. However, he sees these challenges as an opportunity for the SCO to collaborate and address them collectively. With more than 40% of the world’s population within the SCO, their collective decisions can have a global impact.
