New Delhi, January 4: The Indian national flag was installed at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday, as the country began its eighth term as a non-permanent member of the key UN body. As part of the joining ceremony, flags of the five new incoming non-permanent members was installed.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador T S Tirumurti  installed the national flag as part of the ceremony. In his brief introductory remarks, he vowed to raise the issue of terrorism, and stated that New Delhi will emerge as the voice of the developing world at the Security Council. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Stresses Need to Detect Early Signs of Genocide.

"We will use our tenure to bring human-centric and inclusive solutions to matters of international peace and security. India will be a voice for the developing world. We will not shy away from raising our voice against the common enemies of humanity like terrorism," he said.

"Peace-keeping, peace-building, maritime security, women and youth, especially in conflict situations, and technology with a human face, will receive our attention while on the Council," he further added.

Along with India, the incoming UNSC members are Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico. They will join non-permanent members Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam and the five permanent members China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

India will be the UNSC President in August 2021 and will preside over the Council again for a month in 2022. The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the member states names. The tradition of the flag installation ceremony was introduced by Kazakhstan in 2018.

“Like the changing of the guards, it is the changing of flags from outgoing to the new elected members. This solemn ceremony serves the purpose of affirming and respecting the new members with the recognition they deserve,” Kazakhstan's former Permanent Representative to the UN Kairat Umarov had said during the 2019 ceremony. The ceremony was unanimously confirmed by all 15 UNSC members to become an annual tradition of the Security Council, Umarov had said.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2021 11:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).