G20 Summit: Progress Made in Bridging Differences for Joint Declaration:
One day before the commencement of the two-day G-20 summit in New Delhi, India’s G-20 “sherpa,” Amitabh Kant, announced that the “New Delhi Declaration” joint statement or communique was nearly finalized. This indicated that intense efforts were ongoing up to the last minute to bridge disagreements, particularly on the contentious issue of Ukraine, which has created divisions within the G20 Summit, with the Western G-7 nations on one side and Russia and China on the other. The summit’s agenda includes addressing the concerns of developing nations regarding their access to global resources, and achieving consensus on this matter is anticipated.
During a well-attended media briefing at the International Media Centre near the G-20 summit venue, Bharat Mandapam, Mr. Kant stated, “We have successfully engaged with every participating country to gain their support.” He emphasized that the impact of the Ukraine conflict on global food security had been thoroughly discussed during India’s G-20 meetings, including the gathering of G-20 sherpas. This was deemed necessary even though the G-20 primarily serves as an economic forum focused on growth and development, because the conflict’s adverse effects extended to food, fuel, and fertilizer security, particularly affecting Global South countries, which are developing nations.
When queried about specific details of the joint statement and whether consensus had been reached concerning references to Ukraine, Mr. Kant noted the “high level of confidentiality” surrounding such documents. He mentioned that the text would be presented by the G-20 sherpas to their respective leaders for approval. He also emphasized that every G-20 nation possesses veto power, and discussions on this matter would occur after the conclusion of the summit.
Regarding the possibility of India issuing a separate Chair’s Summary, particularly on contentious issues like Ukraine in the absence of consensus, a practice observed in previous G-20 meetings hosted by India, Mr. Kant did not provide a direct response. He did, however, stress India’s significant impact on the G20 summit’s deliberations and outcomes, highlighting New Delhi’s emergence as a vocal advocate for the Global South. Additionally, he pointed out India’s leadership role in advancing digital infrastructure.
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