The meeting discussed a range of issues, including food and energy security, development cooperation, counter-terrorism

The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting that had been eagerly awaited was brought to a close in New Delhi on Thursday. More than 40 delegations, which included Foreign Ministers from nearly all of the G20 countries, travelled to India during its ongoing G20 presidency. This was the second ministerial meeting of India's G20 presidency, with the first being the Finance Ministers’ Meeting that was held in Bengaluru at the end of February.

Briefing the media about the meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar provided an overview of the discussions and negotiations that took place among G20 members. According to EAM Jaishankar, this was the first time that the G20 Foreign Ministers produced an outcome document. “The outcome document, I think, reflects consensus and cooperation and collaboration on a very vast number of issues, issues that are particularly important today for the international community, for the global South,” he stated.

So, let’s have a look at the key takeaways from G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting:

LARGEST GATHERING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS

During the press briefing, EAM Jaishankar stated that the meeting hosted by the G20 presidency had the highest number of Foreign Ministers in attendance. This gathering included representatives from all G20 countries and nine guest countries, as well as 13 international organizations and Foreign Ministers from 27 additional countries.

PM MODI’S ADDRESS AT THE MEETING

EAM Jaishankar highlighted 5 points from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's virtual address:

· Multilateralism is in crisis as it failed to prevent wars and foster cooperation.

· The Global South needs to be heard as they are facing unsustainable debt and are most affected by global warming.

· Foreign Ministers have a responsibility to those not present and should focus on unity.

· Challenges including the pandemic, natural disasters, global supply chain breakdown, debt crisis, and resilience in healthcare, infrastructure, and economies must be addressed.

· Foreign Ministers should trust India's collective wisdom and rise above differences.

ISSUES COVERED DURING TWO SESSIONS OF THE MEETING

The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was divided into two sessions, covering various topics such as multilateralism, food and energy security, development cooperation, counter-terrorism, global skill mapping, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and women-led development.

According to EAM Jaishankar, the discussions led to a common position and consensus on important issues among all G20 countries, which was adopted as a chair summary and outcome document. The document would be helpful for future working group meetings and the upcoming summit in September.

MULTILATERALISM & DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

There was a strong sentiment expressed by the G20 countries on the need to strengthen multilateralism in the face of dramatic changes in the global order, recognizing the essentiality of reforms and the need for reinvigorated multilateralism.

Additionally, the importance of international development cooperation principles such as host country ownership, equal partnerships, and tailoring efforts to local needs was emphasized. The G20 also stressed the need for reliable food and fertilizer supply chains and resilient and sustainable energy supply chains to address global food and energy insecurity.

According to EAM Jaishankar, the Foreign Ministers also unequivocally condemned terrorism in all forms and manifestations, recognizing all acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable. They called for strengthened efforts to deny safe havens, freedom of operations, movement, and recruitment to terrorist groups, as well as financial, material, or political support.

The G20 also highlighted the threats arising from the misuse of new and emerging technologies and the importance of strengthening international cooperation in this regard. These takeaways from the outcome document will guide the G20's efforts in the coming months, including in preparation for the summit scheduled for September.

DISCUSSIONS ON WOMEN-LED DEVELOPMENT

EAM Jaishankar highlighted that the Indian presidency has prioritized women-led development, which has been emphasized by the Prime Minister. In the G20 meetings, the Foreign Ministers discussed this issue and concluded that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, including their leadership, should be a central focus in efforts for inclusive recovery.

FOCUS ON GLOBAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Focusing on global health, the G20 Foreign Ministers emphasized the need to reinforce essential elements of the global health architecture, support the pandemic fund, and maintain political attention on global health.

The outcome document highlights the necessity of implementing a one-health approach. Climate action was also addressed, and the G20 Foreign Ministers called upon developed countries to fulfill their commitments to jointly mobilize $100 billion per year to address climate change, urgently and through to 2025, in the context of common but differentiated responsibilities.

DISCUSSIONS ON THE UKRAINE CONFLICT

Speaking about the Ukraine conflict, EAM Jaishankar said that the G20 Foreign Ministers recognized the divergent positions on the conflict in Ukraine. They were, however, able to reach a consensus on the pressing issues discussed during the meeting. As emphasized by the Prime Minister, the focus was on finding common ground and areas of agreement rather than differences, he pointed out.

VOICE OF THE GLOBAL SOUTH

EAM Jaishankar emphasized India's efforts to ensure that the perspectives and concerns of the Global South are given a prominent place in G20 discussions. He highlighted the recent Voice of the Global South Summit, which saw participation from 125 countries, as a platform to advance the priorities of the Global South. The agenda for the Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the outcome document, according to him, reflects this commitment. He expressed satisfaction at the presence of many representatives from the Global South at the table, who were invited by India as the current presidency.