'Millet Lunch': Who's Who of UN Joins India's S Jaishankar on the Table!

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other UN Security Council member states for a millets-based luncheon in New York on 15th December. “Delighted to welcome UNSG @antonioguterres and UNSC members for a ‘millet lunch’ in New York today,” S Jaishankar tweeted.

"As we head into International Year of Millets 2023, a strong message for their greater production, consumption and promotion would help global food security and enhance sustainability in agriculture," he said in another tweet. At its 75th session in March 2021, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023).

The Government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sponsored the proposal for the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023, which was approved by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The declaration has helped the Government of India take the lead in commemorating the IYM.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Year of Millets 2023 will be an opportunity to raise awareness of, and direct policy attention to, the nutritional and health benefits of millets and their suitability for cultivation under adverse and changing climatic conditions.

The Year will also promote sustainable millet production while emphasizing its potential to provide new sustainable market opportunities for producers and consumers. In December, India took over the UN Security Council's monthly rotating presidency.

India has won the presidency for the second time, having previously held the position in August last year. During its two-year term as an elected member, India presided over the Security Council.

According to UNSC procedure, the Council presidency is rotated in alphabetical order among the 15 members of the UNSC. Two high-level signature events occurred on December 14-15 during India's UN Security Council Presidency.

On December 15, a high-level briefing titled "Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts: Global Approach to Counter Terrorism - Challenges and Way Forward" attempted to reach an agreement on the principles of a global counter-terror architecture. The high-level briefing aimed to strengthen the Delhi Declaration, adopted during a special meeting of the counter-terrorism committee in India in October.