India initiates draft resolution in UNGA for Observer Status for ISA
United Nations: Underlining that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) will usher in a new era of "green energy diplomacy, India introduced a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly for granting Observer Status for the global initiative that would help provide for regular cooperation between ISA and the United Nations, benefiting global energy growth and development.
The ISA was jointly launched by India and France in 2015 at the 21st Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) held in Paris.
It is my honour to introduce the draft resolution...for granting Observer Status for the International Solar Alliance on behalf of India and France and about 80 co-sponsors, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said on Friday.
The International Solar Alliance through its efforts to bring about just and equitable energy solutions through the deployment of solar energy is expected to usher in a new era of green energy diplomacy, Tirumurti said in the General Assembly as he introduced the draft resolution in the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly that deals with legal questions.
The granting of Observer Status to ISA in the General Assembly would help provide for a regular and well-defined cooperation between the Alliance and the United Nations that would benefit global energy growth and development, he said.
The co-sponsors include Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.
"Another milestone for (the) International Solar Alliance. India introduces draft resolution in #UNGA for granting Observer Status to @isolaralliance (ISA). I said that ISA, through its efforts towards just & equitable energy solutions, will usher in (a) new era of Green Energy Diplomacy ," Tirumurti tweeted.
He underlined that granting ISA observer status in UNGA would enable the organisation to provide targeted inputs to current and future United Nations processes, based on grass-root level experiences from its country programmes, its research and public-private cooperation activities and its global knowledge-sharing activities.
ISA is also taking a big step towards addressing some of the questions like technological transfer , storage of solar energy and even financial assistance to member countries, along with project layout and project planning, Tirumurti said.
The United Nations General Assembly may grant Permanent Observer Status to non-member states, international organisations and other entities.
As per information on the UN website, the General Assembly decided that observer status would be confined to states and intergovernmental organisations whose activities cover matters of interest to the Assembly .
The Sixth Committee of the General Assembly considers all applications for observer status before they are considered in the plenary session.
Permanent Observers may participate in the sessions and workings of the General Assembly and maintain missions at the UN headquarters, the website said.
Observer status will greatly enhance the Alliance's ability to achieve its goals, he said.
