Udaipur (Rajasthan): Days after India assumed G20 Presidency, Udaipur is all geared up for the G20 Sherpa meeting. G20 guests from various nations receive a warm welcome on their arrival in the City of Lakes to attend the G20 Sherpa meeting.
On arrival at Udaipur Airport, delegates from various nations receive a rousing welcome. Taj Sabhagar in Udaipur is getting decked up for the first G20 Sherpa meeting. More than 40 delegates are due to arrive in Udaipur to attend the first Sherpa meeting of G20.
Speaking to ANI, Pankaj Khimji, Head of the delegation of Oman, said, “Well, first of all, congratulations to India on taking on the G20 Presidency. We as Oman are obviously very delighted, obliged and overwhelmed as India has chosen Oman as a guest country. So, we are looking forward to participating. For us, it is one of the finest platforms …to express our global agenda and to share that with the G20 will probably be the best opportunity that Oman will have.”
Expressing his views on India assuming G20 Presidency, Edi Pambundi, Indonesia’s Sherpa said, “It is stunning. Our warm welcome to India is very amazing.” He further hoped that during this year’s Presidency, India will take in the rich experience of all the delegates and reach amazing results.
Speaking to ANI, Raci Kaya, Turkey’s Sherpa, said, “It is very fantastic. It is a warm welcome and I am very happy to be here. This year, India will take the Presidency, I wish India a good one-year period for the presidency. Thank you very much for this very warm welcome.”
Andreas Schaal, Head of Delegation and Sherpa of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said, “This is fantastic that India takes over the G20 Presidency. Very pleased to be back in India and very pleased to be for the first time here in Udaipur and it is great to visit India, one of the leading major economies, one of the drivers of growth as Presidency of the G20, defining an agenda which both alliance – emerging economies, advance economies and developing countries.”
In response to a question about India assuming the G20 Presidency, Kexin Li, Head of Delegates, Sous-Sherpa of CHINA, said, “This is a very important year for G20 and for India. I have high expectations as G20 will move forward hosted by India.”
Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpa of India, welcomed G20 guests to Rajasthan’s Udaipur. He stressed that Rajasthan is known for warm hospitality and historical splendour and it is a “symbolic” beginning for G20 to demonstrate tradition of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava.’
Amitabh Kant tweeted, “The Royal state of Rajasthan is world renowned for its warm hospitality & historical splendour. It’s a symbolic beginning for #G20India to start showcasing our Indian tradition of #AtithiDevoBhava from Udaipur in Rajasthan. We welcome the @g20org family into our home.”
In another tweet, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant shared some visuals from behind the scenes as Udaipur prepares for the Sherpa meeting. He tweeted, “The beautiful city of Udaipur in Rajasthan is gearing up for the first Sherpa Meeting under the #G20India Presidency. Some visuals from behind the scenes as the City of Lakes prepares for an action-packed 3 days ahead with delegations from #G20 nations arriving soon.”
Notably, the first Sherpa meeting of India’s G20 Presidency will commence in Udaipur on December 4. The four-day gathering of the Sherpas of G20 Members will have the participation of countries, and international organisations.
The delegates will hold important conversations on some of the most pressing issues, including technological transformation, green development and LiFE, spotlighting women-led development, accelerating the implementation of the SDGs, and facilitating inclusive and resilient growth.
The first Sherpa Meeting will set the tone and agenda for future meetings. The first G20 Sherpa meeting will give India an opportunity to outline its broad priorities and give an overview on its G20 Presidency. The Sherpa meetings will work to establish consensus on key cross-cutting issues, which will be discussed in the various G20 workstreams, for inclusion in the Leaders’ Declaration, which will be tabled at the G20 Summit in New Delhi in 2023.
The Meeting will kick-start with a panel discussion on accelerating the implementation of SDGs. During the meeting, India will introduce the broad priorities of all Working Groups and hear viewpoints of the G20 countries, guests and International Organisations.
The Sherpa meeting’s discussions will focus on technological transformation, green development and LiFE, accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth, Multilateralism and Food, Fuel and Fertilizers, women-led development, tourism and culture. During the meeting, a ‘Chai pe Charcha’ will also be held to hold deeper conversations and boost ties among the G20 member countries and their Sherpas.
The first Sherpa meeting plans to offer the delegates a unique ‘Indian experience’ through cultural performances, art exhibitions, and excursions to various destinations, including Kumbhalgarh Fort and the Ranakpur Temple Complex. During its G20 Presidency, India intends to showcase the essence of its theme – ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth. One Family. One Future’ – in all the scheduled meetings, while being “inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive.”
Notably, India formally assumed G20 Presidency from Indonesia on December 1. The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s 20 major developed and developing economies. The theme of India’s G20 Presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth One Family One Future,” according to the press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. During its presidency, India will host more than 200 meetings in over 50 cities across 32 different workstreams. In addition, India will have the opportunity to offer G20 delegates and guests a glimpse of India’s rich cultural heritage and provide them with a unique Indian experience. (ANI)
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