India elected as member of UN Statistical Commission Narcotic Drugs and the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS

India has been elected as a member of the UN Statistical Commission, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) by the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC of the United Nations. These are important subsidiary bodies of the ECOSOC.

The Statistical Commission is the highest body dealing with international statistical activities and is responsible for standards setting in the field of statistics. India was a member of the Statistical Commission last in 2004 and it is returning to the Commission after a gap of two decades. 

In a tweet, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar congratulated the team of Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York for coming through so strongly in a competitive election. Dr Jaishankar said, India's expertise in the field of



statistics, diversity and demography has earned it a seat on the UN Statistical Commission.

The Commission on Narcotic Drugs supervises the application of international drug control treaties, while the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS supports and provides strategic direction for an international response to HIV/AIDS.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York said, the overwhelming support received by India in the elections reflects the trust reposed by the international community on India’s expertise in these bodies. 

It said, guided by the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘The World is One Family’, India will strive to make its due contributions in these and other organs, in the spirit of advancing multilateral solutions to global challenges.