The discussions of the DWG meetings would feed into the deliberations of the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting
The second meeting of the G20 Development Working Group (DWG), attended by delegates from member and invitee nations and various organisations, concluded on Sunday.
The DWG meeting held from April 6-9 at Kumarakom discussed G20's role in accelerating progress on important issues like Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE),green transitions that are globally just and women-led development, India’s DWG Co-Chairs - Ministry of External Affairs’ Joint Secretaries Nagaraj K Naidu and Eenam Gambhir - told reporters.
Briefing the media here after the conclusion of the meeting, Naidu said that at the first DWG meeting at Mumbai, India's priorities were presented and everybody had expressed their support for it.
"In this meeting, a lot of the G20 members commented on how they see our priorities. All the member countries have appreciated the approach we have taken,"he said. This was the second of the four DWG meetings to be held, he added.
The discussions of the DWG meetings would feed into the deliberations of the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting which will be held in June this year at Varanasi, Naidu further said.
Gambhir, during the press briefing, said that countries have conveyed their broad support for India's ambition and priorities for the DWG including on the G20 action plan on accelerating progress on the SDGs, High-level Principles for LiFE, and Capacity Building Network on Data for Development.
She said that member countries appreciated India's efforts in creating the political momentum needed for helping developing nations at a time when the world was facing multiple crises.
She further said that India was pushing the envelope to see what the international community can do as developing countries are facing a lot of challenges which they may not be able to address on their own.
"There was consensus on the urgency for multilateral efforts and the key role for the G20 in addressing the contemporary developmental challenges. There was a shared understanding on the need for promoting bold and targeted actions aimed at achieving the development and environment including climate agenda in a balanced manner.
"There was broad agreement on the need for collective efforts in contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and acceleration of SDGs. Countries also deliberated on data as an enabler for sustainable development, women’s empowerment and their role in achieving holistic development and role of G20 in harnessing opportunities from green transitions that are globally just," she said.
During the course of the meeting, delegates also witnessed cultural immersion experiences including traditional performances, dance-forms and local culinary traditions that provided them a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and culinary variety of Kerala, a government release said.
Delegates were also treated to the musical renditions of Swathi Thirunal's classical compositions and they had an opportunity to experience the picturesque backwaters through a boat cruise, it said.