The Group of 20 countries on Saturday overcame differences over references to the war in Ukraine and agreed on a joint declaration that paves the way for debt repayment frameworks and country-based climate finance solutions, among other pledges to boost development in the global south.
In an 83-paragraph joint communique aimed at deepening the inclusion of the needs of developing economies in the multilateral forum’s agenda, highlighting human suffering and the negative effects of the war in Ukraine, which has hampered recovery efforts after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The G20 countries agreed to uphold the principles of territorial integrity in the UN Charter and oppose the use of force.
“Sufficient time has been spent – especially in the last few days – on geopolitical issues that have really focused on the war in Ukraine,” Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Saturday after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first concurrence announcement at a press conference.
“Everyone has helped because everyone has come together for consensus, but emerging markets have taken a special lead here and many of us have a strong history of cooperation,” Jaishankar added.
The achievement underscores India’s diplomatic clout when global alliances are shifting. With the heads of state of Russia and China absent from this year’s leaders’ summit, Modi sought to position India as a key global player, promoting the interests of the Global South and being a dialogue partner with developed nations.
