In the presence of leaders like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Modi said that new challenges have emerged in the last few months and the situation in West Asia. Insecurity and instability are concerns. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva were also present on the occasion.
“Our coming together shows that we are sensitive to all issues and are together to resolve them,” Modi said. We believe that terrorism is unacceptable to us. Civilian deaths, wherever they occur, are reprehensible. We welcome the news of the release of the hostages. We hope that all the hostages will be released soon.” He emphasized that it is essential that humanitarian aid arrives in a timely and sustained manner.
“It is also necessary to ensure that the war between Israel and Hamas does not take any regional form,” Modi said. Despite the clouds of crisis we see today, a family has the strength to work for peace. From the perspective of human welfare we can raise our voice against terror and violence and for humanity. Today India is ready to step forward to fulfill this expectation of the world and humanity.
Addressing the G20 leaders, he said, “On November 16 last year, when Indonesian President Joko Widodo formally entrusted me with the presidency of the G20, I said that we will make this forum inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented and decisive.” In one year we will Together we have achieved this,” he said. “Together we have taken the G20 to new heights.”
Modi said that in this world full of mistrust and challenges, faith is what binds everyone together. He said that in the last one year we have expressed faith in ‘one earth, one family and one future’ and we have worked in unity and cooperation, avoiding disputes. He said, “I will never forget the moment when all of us in Delhi welcomed the African Union to the G20. This message of inclusiveness delivered by the G20 to the world is unprecedented.
“It is a matter of pride for India that Africa has been given a voice under its presidency,” he said. The voice of the Global South has also been heard in the G20 in the last one year. The Prime Minister said that as the world moves forward in the 21st century, the concerns of the Global South will have to be given top priority because the countries of the Global South are going through many hardships for which they are responsible. not In this regard, he said, the need of the hour is to give our full support to the development agenda and make the global economy and governance bigger, better, more effective and reformed for the future.
“Ensure timely and easy rate of aid to countries in need,” he said. Implement the action plan adopted to accelerate the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.” The Prime Minister said the G20 has increased confidence in multilateralism and given direction to global governance reforms. Describing the Aspirational Districts Program in India as a good example of progress towards sustainable development goals at the local level, Modi invited the G20 countries to study it.
“You will see how this one campaign has changed the lives of 25 crore people in India,” he said. Referring to the decision taken at the G20 New Delhi Conference to create a Digital Public Infrastructure Repository (DPI), he said that more than 50 DPIs from 16 countries have joined. He proposed setting up a Social Impact Fund to implement DPI in countries of the Global South and announced that India would contribute an initial amount of US$ 25 million.
Emphasizing the need for responsible use of technology in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Prime Minister expressed concern over its negative use. “India has a clear view that we should work together on global regulation of artificial intelligence,” he said.
He said that the Global AI Partnership Conference is being organized in India next month to make artificial intelligence useful for society. Many issues are to be discussed at the meeting but all eyes are on the discussion related to the situation in Gaza. Notably, the meeting is taking place on the day Israel’s cabinet approved a temporary ceasefire with the Hamas group, which is expected to bring the first break in the six-week war.
The ceasefire will allow the release of dozens of people taken hostage during an October 7 attack by Hamas in southern Israel. According to media reports, the agreement will include the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the entry of more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel has been conducting a large-scale military operation in Gaza following attacks on Israeli cities by Hamas militants on October 7.
Hamas killed an estimated 1,400 people and kidnapped more than 220 people in Israel. According to Hamas-run authorities in Gaza, the Israeli offensive has killed about 11,500 people. Israel has also been criticized for killing large numbers of civilians, including women and children, in military operations in Gaza.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by the NDTV team and is published directly from the syndicate feed.)