The ministers pledged to advance existing and new collective actions
In a landmark meeting held in Varanasi from June 11-13, 2023, G20 Development Ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ministers emphasized the importance of putting sustainable development at the center of the international cooperation agenda, pledging to advance existing and new collective actions to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs. HERE ARE SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE G20 DEVELOPMENT MINISTERS' MEETING * The G20 Ministers committed to working together to end poverty and inequality, foster green and blue economies, halt biodiversity loss, and sustainably manage natural resources. They called for ambitious, concrete, and collective actions to create opportunities for all and address structural vulnerabilities and imbalances faced by developing countries. * In a bid to achieve sustainable development in its three dimensions—economic, social, and environmental—the ministers committed to strengthening efforts in building an integrated approach. They encouraged national governments, international organizations, the private sector, and other non-state actors to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns. * The ministers also pledged to implement policies and initiatives that will enable all women and girls to live free from gender-based violence, ensure equal access to resources, and provide equal opportunities for education, skills training, and leadership roles. Recognizing the importance of digital transformation and data advances in achieving the SDGs, they encouraged promoting digital technologies, equal access to connectivity, and narrowing the digital divide. * They additionally recognized that infrastructure development is crucial for economic growth and poverty reduction but also poses significant environmental challenges. As such, they committed to advancing policies and initiatives that promote sustainable infrastructure investments with a focus on increasing access to renewable energy sources. Recognizing that quality education is essential for social mobility and improving livelihoods, they pledged to work towards closing educational gaps by providing equal access to education at all levels. The ministers further emphasized the need for targeted interventions aimed at addressing structural inequalities facing vulnerable populations across developing countries through policies focused on gender equality, health care provision, food security measures amongst others. * Acknowledging the SDGs' financing gap, the G20 Ministers reaffirmed the importance of addressing debt vulnerabilities, removing bottlenecks, and mobilizing financing from all sources. They underlined the importance of enhancing debt transparency and sustainability and implementing coordinated debt treatments under the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). * The ministers emphasized the need for greater collaboration, partnerships, and contributions of all partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, and academia. They welcomed the close collaboration and alignment between the Development Working Group (DWG) and other G20 working groups facilitated by the Indian Presidency. * Endorsing the work done by the DWG, the ministers unanimously adopted the G20 2023 Action Plan on Accelerating Progress on the SDGs and High-level Principles on Lifestyles for Sustainable Development. They expressed appreciation to India for its leadership of the G20 in 2023 and for enhancing the development agenda. The G20 Ministers recognized and thanked the contributions of all participating international organizations, including ADB, ILO, ITU, OECD, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNEP, UNFCCC, UNIDO, UNSG-OSET, and WBG. They welcomed Brazil's G20 Presidency in 2024 and the Republic of South Africa's G20 Presidency in 2025 to take forward the collective agenda of the G20 DWG. Lastly, the ministers emphasized the importance of international partnerships with partner countries, the United Nations system, and other relevant international organizations. They committed to enhancing North-South, South-South, and Triangular cooperation, acknowledging the importance of international cooperation, multilateralism, and global solidarity in addressing and overcoming global crises and challenges. The G20 Development Ministerial Meeting 2023 was a significant milestone in advancing sustainable development goals and promoting international cooperation. As we move forward from this landmark meeting towards Brazil's G20 Presidency in 2024 and South Africa's G20 Presidency in 2025, it is evident that greater collaboration between national governments, international organizations including civil society groups like academia will be necessary to achieve these noble objectives. It is only through partnerships with partner countries within North-South cooperation frameworks or via triangular cooperation arrangements that global solidarity can be fostered effectively. India's leadership of the G20 during this period has been instrumental in enhancing progress towards Sustainable Development Goals as well as aligning DWG efforts with other working groups' agendas facilitated by its presidency.