This is the first of a series of announcements being made by India preparatory to its assumption of the G-20 Presidency on 1st December, 2022. India’s Presidency will last until 30th November next year…reports Asian Lite News
India, the incoming President of the Group of Twenty (G-20), today announced that it will invite the UAE as one of the “guest countries” to the G-20 summit in New Delhi on 9th and 10th September next year.
This is the first of a series of announcements being made by India preparatory to its assumption of the G-20 Presidency on 1st December, 2022. India’s Presidency will last until 30th November next year.
The G-20 is made up of 19 countries plus the European Union (EU). Its member countries are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the USA.
“India, as G-20 Presidency, will be inviting Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and the UAE as guest countries to the New Delhi Summit,” the announcement said.
India will also invite the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Asian Development Bank as guest international organisations.
“In addition to G-20 members, there has been a tradition of the G-20 Presidency inviting some guest countries and international organisations to its G-20 meetings and Summit,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. “Under its Presidency, India is expected to host over 200 meetings related to G-20 across the country, beginning December 2022.”
Collectively, the G-20 accounts for 85 percent of global GDP, 75 percent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population, making it “the premier forum for international economic cooperation.”
The New Delhi Summit will be a major international event in the next calendar year. In addition to 20 of the Group’s members, nine Guest countries of its choice and three international organisations, the Indian Presidency hopes to have at the Summit the following regular invitees.
These are the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, the International Labour Organisation, the Financial Stability Board and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development plus the Chairs of three regional organisations: African Union, the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development and the Association of South East Asian Nations.
New Ties
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has held a tripartite meeting with Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, and Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India.
The meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, touched on bilateral cooperation relations and strategic partnership and ways to further develop them to support the three countries’ efforts to achieve economic prosperity and sustainable development.
Sheikh Abdullah also reviewed with Colonna and Dr. Jaishankar a number of issues of common interest, including climate change and ways to promote global efforts to combat it, especially with the UAE hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023.
The meeting covered the developments on the regional and international arenas and the importance of strengthening international cooperation in facing global challenges, including energy and food security.
During the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah said that the UAE has distinguished relations and a fruitful strategic partnership with India and France, noting that the three countries have common visions and aspirations to achieve sustainable growth in their societies to achieve progress and prosperity for their peoples.
For their part, Dr. Jaishankar and Colonna highlighted the significance of this tripartite meeting and its role in strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with the UAE at all levels.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Political Affairs and the UAE Permanent Representative to the UN.