India to chair UNSC’s crucial Taliban and Libya sanctions committees

NEW DELHI: India will head three key panels in the United Nations Security Council after it assumed a two-year-long non-permanent membership at the body on January 1.

The panels include the Taliban sanctions committee, the counter-terrorism committee for the year 2022 and the Libya sanctions committee. By heading the Taliban sanctions committee, India will get a greater say in the Afghan peace process and will be able to step up pressure on Pakistan over the issue of terrorism.

Reacting on the development, the spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava, said India’s tenure would be guided by a commitment to promote responsible and inclusive solutions to international peace and security.

Meanwhile, taking note of the US government’s decision to extend the ban on certain non-immigrant visas, the Indian government said it is in touch with the authorities concerned. “We are engaged with the US government for increased predictability in the visa regime and to minimise inconvenience to Indian nationals,” Srivastava said.

The US government had temporarily placed a ban on certain non-immigrant visas, including H1-B, till December 31 and later extended it for another three months citing the coronavirus pandemic.