Sherpas’ meet: India calls for collective solutions to global challenges
UDAIPUR: India on Monday proposed dovetailing implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGS) with green transition under the G20 even as the country’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant emphasised that the focus should be on developing countries as their needs are the greatest.
G20 Sherpas, or personal representatives of heads of state, and government and top officials of multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and World
Bank began deliberations to shape the agenda for India’s G20 presidency, with the Indian side steering discussions towards finding collective solutions to key global challenges, including food and energy security.
In a speech outlining India’s priorities, Kant said the country’s G20 presidency will advocate oneness in line with the theme of “One Earth One Family One Future”, and reflect the aspirations of both G20 partners and the “Global South, whose voice is often unheard”.
“The challenges that we face
today can be solved only by working together through hope, harmony and healing and our first concern should be towards those whose need is greatest,” he added. “Therefore, we need to focus on Global South as well.”
India has proposed greater cohesiveness between green transition and implementing the SDGS, amid growing concern that some countries are lagging in achieving these goals, people familiar with the matter said.
While emphasising the need for greater international cooperation on SDGS, the Indian side pointed out that climate goals cannot be achieved without achieving development goals, they said, seeking anonymity.
“Climate and development are two sides of the same coin, and the G20 is about getting global focus on these issues, though some more push and follow-up is needed,” one person said.
Though the Ukraine crisis came up in Monday’s discussions behind closed doors, it was more in the context of the conflict’s continuing impact on food and energy security, the people said.
US Sherpa Mike Pyle, who is also a deputy national security adviser, told reporters that the discussions on Monday were marked by a “spirit of cooperation and ambition” and the constructive spirit witnessed at the G20 Summit in Bali in November was continuing. India’s chief G20 coordinator Harsh Shringla said the Sherpas expressed “strong support” for India’s priorities and felt there was a “pressing need for G20 to act on some of these important priorities”. Climate finance, food security and rising energy prices are issues that the G20 can come together to tackle, he said.
The first two sessions on Monday at Taj Fateh Prakash Hotel on the bank of Lake Pichola focused on technological transformation and green development.