Far and Wide | September 2023 (III)

19-Sep-2023

Our headline features this week takes a closer look at the remarkable chapter of India's G20 Presidency.
During India's G-20 Presidency, a surprising breakthrough occurred, which not only welcomed the African Union as a new member but also led to consensus on the long-debated "Ukraine paragraphs." This development signals a notable change in the positions held by influential players like the United States, the European Union, and the G-7 nations, who had previously expressed strong criticism of Russia in the G-20's Bali statement.
 
The driving force behind this achievement was a proposal presented by the Indonesia-India-Brazil-South Africa group, known as IIBSA, which we had exclusive access to. Negotiations persisted late into the night on Friday and resumed on Saturday, culminating in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement during the Summit's second session on the first day.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi shared the breakthrough news with the assembled leaders, stating, "I have just received some good news right now. Due to the hard work of our team and your support, we have achieved consensus on the New Delhi G-20 Leaders' Summit Declaration. I propose we adopt this Leaders' declaration." He promptly declared its adoption, a day ahead of the Summit's scheduled conclusion, sealing the historic moment.

When questioned about this remarkable turn of events during a press conference organized by the G-20 Presidency, both India's External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, and India's G-20 Sherpa elaborated on the consensus-building process. They emphasized the collaborative efforts of Indonesia, India, Brazil, and South Africa—countries with a consistent history of hosting the G-20.

Read Now!