Defying speculations that the G20 Leaders’s Summit in Delhi under India’s presidency would end without a joint statement due to differences over a range of issues, the summit today adopted the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration. PM Narendra Modi announced that consensus has been arrived at on the Delhi declaration, calling it good news.
The preamble of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration says, “We are One Earth, One Family, and we share One Future.” Climate and energy issues are the major focus of the declaration, along with conflicts and health issues.
The G20 leaders have committed to accelerate strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, accelerate the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pursue low greenhouse gas and low carbon emissions, enhance efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement and improve access to medical countermeasures. On the financial angle, the leaders resolved to promote resilient growth by urgently and effectively addressing debt vulnerabilities in developing countries and scaling up financing for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Delhi Declaration also talks about reforms in Multilateral Development Banks, improving access to digital services, promoting sustainable, quality, healthy, safe and gainful employment, closing gender gaps, and better integrating the perspectives of developing countries.
The declaration expresses concern over human suffering and adverse impacts of wars and conflicts around the world, and mentions the Ukraine war. The G20 leaders reiterated their positions on the issue, adding that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter.
In a clear warning to G20 member Russia, the declaration states, “all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.” It is notable that Russian president Putin is not attending the summit.
On global economic situation, the Delhi Declaration commits to protect the vulnerable, through promoting equitable growth and enhancing macroeconomic and financial stability. It states, “such an approach will help resolve the cost-of-living crisis and unlock strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth.” The G20 leaders also resolved to work with the private sector to accelerate growth and driving sustainable economic transformations.
On the issue of global trade, the G20 joint declaration said that a rules-based, non-discriminatory, fair, open, inclusive, equitable, sustainable and transparent multilateral trading system, with WTO at its core, is indispensable.
The leaders committed to work on skill gap, promoting decent work and ensuring inclusive social protection policies for all on the work front. The Delhi Declaration talks about advancing financial inclusion and fighting corruption.
On the subject of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the declaration notes that the progress has been slow and only 12% work has been completed in the Decade of Action till 2030. The G20 leaders resolved to accelerate this work.
The declaration resolves to take measures to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, and to work on macroeconomic impacts of food and energy insecurity.
The declaration states that the G20 leaders remain committed to strengthening the global health architecture, with the World Health Organization (WHO) at its core, and building more resilient, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage, implement One Health approach, enhance pandemic preparedness and strengthen existing infectious diseases surveillance systems.
It also talks about Finance-Health Collaboration, saying that they remain committed to strengthening the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) through enhanced collaboration between Finance and Health Ministries under the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF).
The Delhi Declaration has given a lot of importance on Green Development Pact for Sustainable Future. It talks about macroeconomic risks stemming from climate change and transition pathways, mainstreaming Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), designing a Circular Economy World, implementing clean, sustainable, just, affordable & inclusive energy transitions.
It also has detailed discussions on delivering on climate and sustainable finance, conserving, protecting, sustainably using and restoring ecosystems, harnessing and preserving the ocean-based economy, ending plastic pollution, financing cities of tomorrow, reducing disaster risk and building resilient infrastructure.
The New Delhi Declaration has stressed on reinvigorating multilateralism, saying that the global order has undergone dramatic changes since the second world war due to various reasons. it talks about reforming international financial institutions and managing global debt vulnerabilities.
It also has a section on technological transformation and digital public infrastructure, including topics like building digital public infrastructure, building safety, security, resilience and trust in the digital economy, policy and regulation of crypto-assets, central bank digital currency, digital ecosystems, Artificial Intelligence etc.
The G20 Leaders’ Declaration then talks about International taxation, Gender Equality, Financial Sector Issues, Terrorism and Money laundering, and talks about creating a more inclusive world.
In conclusion, the declaration thanks India for successfully hosting the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi, for its warm welcome to delegates, and for its valuable contributions to the strengthening of the G20. “We appreciate the successful conclusion of various G20 Working Groups and
Ministerial meetings and welcome their outcomes as annexed. We also congratulate India on the successful landing on the moon on 23 August 2023,” it says.
The declaration adds, “Recalling our collective actions to stem earlier global crises, we are determined to steer the world out of its current challenges and build a safer, stronger, more resilient, inclusive and healthier future for our people and the planet.”
The full text of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration can be viewed below:
