Pretoria - India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) have committed to increase their consultations and coordination on the interdependence between development and security and its importance for sustainable peace.
During a meeting held on Friday in New York, IBSA representatives 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 reiterated their view that peacekeeping operations have a contribution to make in early peace building activities and 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
IBSA representatives further emphasised the need for urgent reform of the 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," IBSA noted.
They also 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.
Welcoming the results of the referendum in Sudan on 7 February 2011, IBSA announced 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.
The three countries 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 from 7 to 8 March 2011.
