The first Sherpa meeting under India’s G20 Presidency commenced in Udaipur in Rajasthan on Sunday to set the agenda for the leaders’ summit in New Delhi next September and provide the country an opportunity to outline its broad priorities.
Chaired by India’s Sherpa Amitabh Kant, the four-day meeting will see delegates from G20 members, invited countries and international organisations discuss pressing issues, including technological transformation, green development, spotlighting women-led development and facilitating inclusive and resilient growth.
“The first Sherpa meeting sets the tone and agenda for future meetings to come, by providing the Chair, i.e. India, an opportunity to outline its broad priorities, and give an overview on its G20 Presidency,” an official statement said.
The Sherpa meetings will work towards building consensus on key cross-cutting issues, which will be discussed in the various G20 work streams for inclusion in the Leaders’ Declaration, which will be tabled at the G20 Summit in New Delhi next year, it said.
India, as the G20 President, has invited Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as guest countries for the summit. The International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Asian Development Bank are guest international organisations for the summit.
The Sherpas, personal emissaries of the G20 leaders, oversee the negotiations to arrive at a consensus on key issues facing the world. There are 13 different working groups identified as Sherpa Tracks, including the one on Disaster Risk Resilience and Reduction introduced by India for its presidency.
The working group on Disaster Risk Resilience and Reduction is important as G20 countries have a high level of exposure to disaster risk. The working group is expected to encourage collective work by the G20, undertake multi-disciplinary research and exchange best practices on disaster risk reduction.
The meeting of Sherpas will kick start with a panel discussion on accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
During the meeting, India will introduce broad priorities of all Working Groups and hear views from G20 countries, guests, and international organisations, the statement said.
Discussions during the meet will focus on five overarching thematic areas of technological transformation, green development and LiFE, accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth, multilateralism and food, fuel and fertilizers, women-led development, tourism and culture.
A “Chai pe Charcha” will also be held to foster deeper conversations and strengthen ties among G20 member countries and their Sherpas.
The first Sherpa meeting under India’s presidency plans to offer delegates a unique “Indian experience” through cultural performances, art exhibitions, and excursions to various destinations, including locations such as the Kumbhalgarh Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Ranakpur Temple Complex.
