India to emerge as 'voice' of 125 countries of Global South
(Global South is a term that broadly refers to developing countries and least developed countries but particularly among even the developing countries, those that are not high income.)
New Delhi
At the 'Voice of the Global South Summit' hosted in virtual mode by India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on
leaders of the Global South to unite to forge a common agenda for their own development and for the three-fourth of
humanity.
It was an illustrious case of taking a huge leap in becoming a “voice” for 125 countries that comprises
low income countries. The two-day ‘Voice of Global South’ summit was held under the theme – 'Unity of Voice,
Unity of Purpose'. This was in fact the first time India organised such a meeting of the Global South.
Of the 125 countries that participated in the summit included 29 countries from Latin America and Caribbean, 47
countries from Africa, 31 from Asia, 11 from Oceania and seven from Europe.
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina thanked the Indian government for inviting Bangladesh to this important summit that would provide it a unique opportunity to engage with counterparts world over.
PM Hasina and others congratulated Narendra Modi and the government of India on assumption of G20 Presidency
and welcomed India's vision as the President of G20 to ensure inclusive development under the theme, "One Earth,
One Family, One Future".
Mr Modi said, India wants a globalisation that does not lead to unequal distribution of vaccines or over-concentrated
global supply chains. "We, the developing countries, are also concerned about the increasing fragmentation of the
international landscape. These geopolitical tensions distract us from focusing on our development priorities".
The last three years have been difficult, especially for the developing nations, he said.
The challenges of the COVID pandemic, rising prices of fuel, fertilizer and foodgrains, and increasing geo-political
tensions have impacted development efforts.
In a significant announcement, PM Modi announced the “Aarogya Maitri” project whereby the country will provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
PM Modi also said that India will launch the Global South Science and Technology Initiative to share its
expertise in areas such as space technology and nuclear energy, and establish the Global South Center of
Excellence.
The two-day summit was aimed at generating ideas from developing countries to be deliberated at the G20
during India’s presidency.
PM Modi said, "We all appreciate the principle of globalisation. India’s philosophy has always seen the world
as one family. However, developing countries desire a globalization that does not create Climate Crisis or Debt Crisis.
We want a globalisation that does not lead to unequal distribution of vaccines or over-concentrated global supply chains.
In short, we want a human-centric globalisation".
He further stated that geopolitical tensions distract developing countries from focusing on development priorities.
"They cause sharp swings in international prices of food, fuel, fertilizers and other commodities.
To address this geopolitical fragmentation, we urgently need a fundamental reform of the major international organisations, including the United Nations Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions".
"These reforms should focus on giving voice to the concerns of the developing world, and reflect the realities of
the 21st Century," the Prime Minister said.
Different sessions:
In the Finance Ministers’ session, leaders exchanged views on financing the development needs of the Global South, achieving financial inclusion, implementation of digital public goods in the financial sector, and development partnerships that are outcome-oriented and financially sustainable. The Environment Ministers’ session focused attention on balancing growth with sustainability, sharing of best practices in ecological conservation, and the importance of lifestyle for the Environment launched by
Prime Minister Modi in October 2022.
The Ministers also called for accelerated climate action and delivery of climate finance and loss and damage funding to
deal with growing climate impacts.
In the Foreign Ministers’ session, the Ministers expressed concern over the increasing fragmentation of the international landscape. They urged the international community to address the triple challenge of food, fuel and fertilizer shortages.
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New Delhi
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Friday, Jan 13, articulated his views rather assertively vis-a-vis the world order and the roles played by the United Nations and maintained that "a frozen 1945-invented mechanism is simply unable to articulate the
wider concerns".
"Some powers have been singularly focused on their own advantage, to the exclusion of the well-being of the international community. And the G20, reflecting the composition of its membership, has had its own particular focus. This is what we are seeking to change," Dr Jaishankar said in his opening remarks at the Foreign
Ministers’ Session on G20 of the 'Voice of Global South Summit'.
He said, "the knock-on effects of the Ukraine conflict complicated the economic situation. The costs and availability
of fuel, food and fertilizers has emerged as a major concern for many of us. So too has the disruption in trade and
commercial services. However, none of this has got the attention that it deserves in global councils".
In this context,he lamented that, "Where the United Nations is concerned, a frozen 1945-invented mechanism is
simply unable to articulate the wider concerns of its membership".
The External Affairs Minister said, "unsustainable debt, unviable projects, trade barriers, contracting financial
flows and climate pressure" have added to the anxieties of the Global South.
"To this was added the devastation of the Covid pandemic and the discriminatory practices which characterised
global response. It starkly exposed the dangers of over-centralized globalization and unreliable supply
chains. It was a reminder too that a more democratic and equitable world can only be built on greater
diversification and localisation of capabilities," he emphasised.
Dr Jaishankar further said, "India’s G20 priorities will be shaped in consultation with not just our G20 partners,
but also our fellow citizens in the Global South. This is an opportunity for India to articulate an agenda and for
the Global South to show the way. India will make Reformed Multilateralism and Institutions for the 21st century
a priority during its Presidency".
India will also pitch for strong collective actions to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Developmental
Goals (SDGs).
"India will take a Lifestyle for the Environment -- LiFE - approach to climate action while keeping the complementarities of development agenda and our Climate goals at the center," he said adding, India will also focus on strengthening international cooperation in addressing the challenges relating to the increasing threat of Terrorism faced by many countries.
The terror menace only increased in the face of emerging technologies, he pointed out.
Dr Jaishankar also said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared that this is not an era of war. He has spoken
about the imperative to give up the 'us vs them' mindset and to work collectively as one human family. To many of us
in the Global South, this sentiment strikes a very familiar chord".
He further stated that, "From decolonization movements to resisting alignment in the face of a deeply
polarized world, the Global South has always shown the middle path. The path where diplomacy,
dialogue and cooperation take primacy over competition, conflict, and divisions. We all know that choosing peace, cooperation and multilateralism is a very patient endeavour that requires enormous bridge building".
But at the same time, he maintained that it is the course that the world must take if the interests of the
Global South are kept at its core. "We welcome your views in this regard and promise to amplify the
voice of the Global South during our G20 Presidency," Dr Jaishankar said.
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